Al Pacino set to play Shylock in N.Y.C.'s Central Park
NEW YORK -- Al Pacino meets William Shakespeare next summer in New York City's Central Park.
The 69-year-old Pacino will portray Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice," one of two offerings by the Public Theater's 2010 Shakespeare in the Park series, running June 9-Aug. 1.
Artist director Oskar Eustis says the series will also include "The Winter's Tale," which will alternate in performance with "Merchant." Among the actors who will appear in both plays: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jesse L. Martin, Lily Rabe, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Max Wright. Pacino will only appear in "Merchant."
Daniel Sullivan will direct "The Merchant of Venice" and Michael Greif will direct "The Winter's Tale."
Cruelty charges prompt apology for rat-eating TV episode
LONDON -- British broadcaster ITV has apologized after two contestants on a reality TV show skinned, cooked and ate a rat during filming.
Chef Gino D'Acampo and actor Stuart Manning have been charged with animal cruelty after preparing and eating rat risotto on the wilderness show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" last month.
They were charged after complaints by animal welfare activists in Australia, where the show is filmed. The maximum penalty is three years in prison.
ITV said Monday that producers had sought health and safety advice about eating the rat but had failed to check whether killing it was legal.
The broadcaster said it apologized, "and will put in place procedures for next year's series to ensure that this cannot happen again."
Weezer cancels tour after N.Y. bus crash
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Weezer has canceled the rest of its December tour after the lead singer was injured in a bus crash in New York.
Rivers Cuomo and band assistant Sarah Kim suffered minor injuries when the group's tour bus skidded on ice, struck a guide rail and slid into a ditch Sunday morning.
Cuomo and Kim were hospitalized after the accident in the upstate New York town of Glen. That's about 40 miles west of Albany. They were traveling to a show in Boston.
Cuomo's condition isn't clear.
A message on the band's Web site says Weezer is canceling the rest of its Raditude tour and will try to reschedule those dates.
Publicist Jim Merlis says he won't comment on the crash.
