[December 31, 2008]

AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 10:34 a.m. EST

(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Charles Barkley arrested on suspicion of DUISCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) _ Charles Barkley was arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving early Wednesday. An officer with a law enforcement task force that targets drunken driving saw the former NBA star run a stop sign around 1:30 a.m., said Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler.

Norway: Date set for Amy Winehouse drug appealOSLO, Norway (AP) _ British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse has been summoned to appear in a Norwegian court on Jan. 12 in her appeal against a fine in a drugs possession case, a police prosecutor said Wednesday. Winehouse and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were arrested in the western city of Bergen in October 2007 during a concert stop on charges of possessing 7 grams (1/4-ounce) of marijuana. They were held overnight and released after paying fines of 3,000 kroner ($415) each.

Actor Matt Dillon charged with speeding in VermontNEWBURY, Vt. (AP) _ Vermont State Police say actor Matt Dillon has been cited for speeding on an interstate highway. Dillon was charged with excessive speed after he was pulled over by a trooper on Interstate 91 in Newbury on Tuesday night. The 44-year-old actor was allegedly traveling at a speed of 106 miles per hour. The posted speed limit is 65 miles per hour.

You could party with a rock star on New Year's EveLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Why not share a shot with Paris Hilton or boogie down with Pete Wentz to ring in 2009? This year, any regular Joe with dough (and no reason to sweat the economy) could party like _ and with _ a rock star, movie star or reality TV star on New Year's Eve. Here's a look at some of the parties that were boasting famous names:

'Colbert,' 'SpongeBob' may go dark on Time WarnerLOS ANGELES (AP) _ "SpongeBob SquarePants" may be getting squeezed off of Time Warner Cable. Media giant Viacom Inc. said its Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and 16 other channels will go dark for 13 million subscribers at 12:01 a.m. Thursday if a new carriage fee deal with Time Warner Cable is not agreed upon by then.

Playwright Harold Pinter buried in LondonLONDON (AP) _ Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter has been buried in a London ceremony at a brief private funeral attended by family and friends. About 50 people stood beneath a tree at Kensal Green Cemetery on Wednesday for the service on a cold, grey afternoon.

Actors Bacon, Sedgwick among Madoff victimsNEW YORK (AP) _ Call it six degrees of Bernard Madoff. Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgwick are among the many victims of the massive Ponzi scheme run by the disgraced New York money manager.

NYE minus VIP equals partying at home for manyMIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ On recent New Year's Eves in South Beach, booking Lindsay Lohan and R&B singer John Legend as the entertainment would have caused a ticket stampede almost regardless the cost. But with the economy in recession, that's not the case this year: the $200 individual tickets and $1,500 VIP tables are moving slower than expected.

Rapper DMX pleads guilty to drug, theft chargesPHOENIX (AP) _ DMX has reached a plea deal on multiple drug possession, theft and animal cruelty charges. The rapper (real name: Earl Simmons) pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty, one felony count of theft, and one count each of felony possession of marijuana and a narcotic drug.

Woody Harrelson weds longtime love in MauiLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Woody Harrelson and his longtime love have officially wed. A spokeswoman for Harrelson said the 47-year-old actor married his girlfriend of 20 years, Laura Louie, in Maui on Sunday.

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