[October 26, 2009]

AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 7:07 p.m. EDT

(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Joke's on Bill Cosby as Seinfeld, Rock pay tributeWASHINGTON (AP) _ Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld will salute fellow funny man Bill Cosby on Monday night with the nation's top humor prize at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, along with two co-stars from "The Cosby Show," Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Tribute performances will range from standup to orchestra and jazz as Cosby receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Carl Reiner, Sinbad and Wynton Marsalis are slated to perform, as well as Willie Nelson.

'Crash' director Paul Haggis quits ScientologyNEW YORK (AP) _ "Crash" director Paul Haggis has severed his ties with the Church of Scientology, in part because of what he alleged as the organization's stance against gay marriage. Haggis wrote a letter addressed to Tommy Davis, the head of Scientology's Celebrity Centre. In it, Haggis said he was disappointed by the church's tacit denial of gay rights in the debate over California's gay marriage ban.

Miami Art Museum Director resignsMIAMI (AP) _ The director of the Miami Art Museum has resigned, effective immediately. Aaron Podhurst, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, announced in an e-mail Monday that Terence Riley had stepped down.

Jay-Z talks World Series, Broadway and DJ HeroNEW YORK (AP) _ The New York Yankees have been blasting Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" during their playoff run. Now, the team is having the rap king perform the song live to kick off Game 1 of the World Series. Jay-Z and fellow New Yorker Alicia Keys are set to perform the hit on Wednesday, as the Yankees take on defending World Series champs, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Madonna plants tree to launch Malawi girls schoolLILONGWE, Malawi (AP) _ Madonna marked the start of construction of her school for girls in Malawi on Monday by planting a tree at the planned site of the $15 million school. The 51-year-old celebrity arrived in the impoverished southern African country on Sunday accompanied by her four children _ daughters Lourdes and Mercy, and sons Rocco and David.

Jon Gosselin says he returned $180K in joint fundsNORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) _ Reality TV dad Jon Gosselin says he's returned $180,000 to a joint account he shares with his estranged wife Kate as the couple continues their bitter divorce battle. Gosselin criticized his wife for not showing up Monday for a court hearing in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown. He also says she still has not explained how she spent $33,000 in joint funds.

'Promises, Promises' set for Broadway next springNEW YORK (AP) _ Forget "Mad Men." The '60s will live again on Broadway next spring in a revival "Promises, Promises," the musical based on the Academy Award-winning movie "The Apartment." King of Pop aims for king of music film statusLOS ANGELES (AP) _ The 50 comeback concerts Michael Jackson planned in London last summer sold out in a few hours. With those shows relegated to what-if status by his death in June, the question now is how well the singer can pack movie theaters with "Michael Jackson: This Is It," a chronicle of his concert preparations that now stands as his final performance.

Netflix movie streaming coming to PlayStation 3NEW YORK (AP) _ PlayStation 3 owners will soon be able to stream movies and TV shows from Netflix to their TVs using the gaming console, just as Xbox 360 owners have been able to do for a year. Sony Corp. and the DVD rental company announced the service Monday and plan to launch it next month. It will be available for free to PlayStation 3 owners who have a Netflix subscription that starts at $9.

Crowded theaters build momentum for 3-D at homeLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Fans scrambled to see 3-D movies such as "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" in theaters this year and new 3-D televisions could soon have home viewers feeling as if they're surrounded by a spaghetti hurricane on their couches. Next year major electronics manufacturers Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. plan to introduce 3-D-capable high-definition televisions for the mass market. You'll still need to wear special glasses, though.

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