Matthews' MTV2 show to highlight solo work

NEW YORK -- Dave Matthews as a politician?

The idea was tossed around Thursday night during the filming of an MTV2 special to promote Matthews' new solo album, "Some Devil," due out Sept. 23.

Matthews sang tunes from the upcoming album and, at one point, answered questions from the audience of about 200 at MTV's midtown studios.

One fan asked if the 36-year-old singer-musician would ever consider a career in politics.

"What a god-awful job that would be. I have far too much in my past," Matthews joked.

"Some Devil" marks his first solo outing apart from the Dave Matthews Band. The album came about while the band was on break, Matthews said, and contained material that didn't fit with the group's vibe.

Rap artist dies after shooting incident NEW YORK -- D.O. Cannon, a little-known rapper with Murder Inc. Records, died early Friday after being shot on a Queens street, police said.

Cannon, 26, whose real name was Gerard Fields, was shot twice in the chest and once in the leg at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday in the Hollis section. He was taken to Mary Immaculate Hospital, where he died shortly after midnight. No arrests were made, police said.

A Murder Inc. Web site said Fields "was raised and struggled in the streets of poverty" after losing his mother when he was 11.

The record company is home to Ashanti and Ja Rule. A call to its Manhattan headquarters wasn't immediately returned Friday.

Harrison Ford discusses U.S., French relations

PARIS -- Harrison Ford said recent tensions between the United States and France could have a positive effect, and feels no concern about appearing at the 2003 Deauville film festival, where he's the star guest.

"I think the Americans can profit from recognizing other points of view in the world," Ford told a news conference ahead of Friday's opening of the 10-day festival in the Normandy resort town.

Roman Polanski is presiding over the jury at the annual festival honoring American films.

"It's good to have a certain amount of tension so that one can test (his) ideas against other people's ideas," the 61-year-old actor said.

Paris opposed the U.S.-led Iraq war, prompting some Americans to refuse spending money on French products or trips here.

Ford is in Europe to promote "Hollywood Homicide," an action comedy by Ron Shelton about two police officers on the Hollywood beat.

Comedian Bob Newhart gives up radio station

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- It's no joke: Bob Newhart is letting go of his radio station.

Station KZBN 1290-AM, also known as "KBOB," is being sold by the actor-comedian to Wendy McCaw, the owner of the Santa Barbara News-Press.

"I've owned KZBN since 1995 and I'm proud that we're one of the most popular nostalgia stations in the country," Newhart said in a statement Wednesday. "I have enjoyed making it possible for KZBN to share the best music and community-focused programming with our loyal audience."