ENTERTAINMENT

American TV viewers are seeing more gay, lesbian and transgender characters on their screens and story lines are better reflecting current issues in the gay community, according to a survey set for release on Thursday.

Paul McCartney's recent three-night concert stand in New York City -- during which the rock legend delved into his Beatles, Wings and solo catalogs and brought Billy Joel to the stage -- is coming to CD and DVD.

Chinua Achebe, the grandfather of modern African literature, first began telling stories as a means to reaching the truth. Fiction, he knew, could sometimes strike deeper than real life.

Oscar-winning Pulp Fiction screenwriter Roger Avary was sentenced to a year in jail on Wednesday after killing a newlywed Italian passenger in a drunken driving crash in California last year.

Dennis Hopper, the Oscar-nominated actor and star of movies including 1969's iconic Easy Rider, was hospitalized in New York on Wednesday with flu-like symptoms, said his representative.

Actor John Travolta testified in a Bahamian extortion trial on Wednesday that he was told that unless he paid $25 million, stories would be sold to the news media implying his son's death was intentional and he was to blame.

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, best known for playing big screen action heroes Wolverine and James Bond, have drawn record ticket sales for their play A Steady Rain, but it drew mixed reviews on Wednesday after opening night.

Whoopi Goldberg thinks film director Roman Polanski, who was arrested in Switzerland and may be extradited to the U.S.- did not rape a 13-year old girl in the 1970's.

Actress Jessica Biel, 27 and singer Justin Timberlake, 28 have split up after a relationship of three years, according to several reports from celebrity news websites, including US Magazine and Perezhilton.com.

Jason Priestley will star in the Canadian TV comedy Meet Phil Fitz.

Michelle Moran never had any doubts what she wanted to be in life -- a writer.

France's government Wednesday softened its stance on the arrest of Roman Polanski for having sex with a 13-year-old girl, calling it a serious case after initially rushing to the film director's defense.

Lawyers for Oscar-winning film director Roman Polanski lodged an appeal with a Swiss court on Tuesday against his arrest on a U.S. extradition warrant to face sentence for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

Miss Singapore World, Ris Low, announced her resignation on Tuesday coming five days after news broke out that she was involved in credit card fraud.

The new Broadway drama A Steady Rain, starring Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, has set the record for the highest weekly ticket sales of a non-musical play, its producers said on Tuesday.

All aboard! Thomas the Tank Engine is heading back out on the tracks.

Beauty queen Miss Singapore World has given up her crown after it emerged that she had stolen credit cards to go on a shopping spree for lingerie.

Attorneys for Michael Jackson sued two California charities on Tuesday, accusing them of scamming the dead singer's fans by using his name and catchphrases to solicit funds.

Hip hop artist and fashion mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has signed with Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M label in a deal which includes his future albums and creates a new joint venture with Combs' Bad Boy label.

Lady Gaga told KLUC-FM radio station in Las Vegas that Kanye West was feeling so f---ing bad for his outburst at the MTV VMA's earlier this month.

The Hills actress Stephanie Pratt says she won't return to the reality show after this season. Pratt denied that she is leaving the reality show due to the drama with Kristin Cavallari, the new cast member.

A New York state appeals court on Tuesday dismissed former TV newsman Dan Rather's lawsuit against CBS Corp in which Rather claimed he was made a scapegoat in a scandal over a 2004 report on then-President George W. Bush's military record.

The death of celebrity disc jockey DJ AM was caused by an accidental drug overdose, and eight different substances were found in his body, the New York City Medical Examiner's office said on Tuesday.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama is to kick off the 40th anniversary season of the children's TV show Sesame Street with a segment encouraging kids to plant gardens and eat healthy food.

The breakdown of the marriage U.S. reality television stars Jon and Kate Gosselin has made its mark on the television show that chronicles their lives, with its title being changed to Kate Plus 8.

TLC on Tuesday announced the show previously called Jon and Kate plus eight will from November carry the name Kate plus eight.

TLC network made a major change and has decided to air Kate Plus 8. Although the network is not completely cutting its exclusive relationship with Jon Gosselin, from now on the soon to be ex-husband of Kate would be appearing less often in the show.

Sarah Palin, last year's Republican vice-presidential candidate who became a figure of global fascination, is to release her memoir just four months after her book deal was announced.

Be happy for Patricia Heaton. She's in a much better place.