Band applauds police arrests at its concerts

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The band Widespread Panic has endorsed a crackdown on drug use and illegal drinking at a concert where about 200 fans were arrested, one died of an overdose and another committed suicide.

"Widespread Panic makes every possible effort to ensure a safe environment for everyone attending a show," a statement from the band said. "We fully support the actions taken by local police to eliminate drug dealing and underage drinking at all Widespread Panic concerts."

The arrests by undercover state agents and police occurred last weekend, when a series of sold-out concerts drew about 30,000 fans to the Oak Mountain amphitheater at nearby Pelham. The Birmingham News reported the band's statement Thursday.

Erica Young, 29, of Chattanooga, Tenn., collapsed at the Saturday show and died of what police said was an overdose of the drug Ecstasy.

Haggard tape auction put to stop by judge

DALLAS -- An Internet auction of a Merle Haggard cassette has been halted after the country music star won a court order claiming the tape was stolen from his tour bus.

Kathy Schroeder of Fredericksburg, a concert promoter and bed-and-breakfast operator, had offered the cassette on eBay for $325,000, according to The Dallas Morning News' Thursday editions. Information about the tape was removed from the auction Wednesday.

After Haggard's representatives contacted eBay, the auction site confirmed that Schroeder was the seller. Haggard's lawyers say they plan to turn the case over to law enforcement for prosecution on theft or other charges, but the first priority was to stop the possible spread of bootleg copies.

"The reason I am pursuing it is because this is obviously the nightmare we all fear," Haggard told the newspaper in an interview from his Northern California home. "I had to defend myself. What's on the tape is a rough mix of an ongoing project. It's like she kidnapped my children."

Duchess of York's plan for weight loss tested

DE PERE, Wis. -- A trip to the Green Bay area threatened to knock Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, right off her diet plan.

The visit promoting Weight Watchers and her charities included an overnight stay at an inn on the St. Norbert College campus in De Pere, just outside Green Bay, where she was greeted with cheese curds.

"When I walked in, they gave me deep-fried curds -- with the sauce as well," Ferguson said when she spoke at the campus Wednesday. "They looked so good, I thought I'll just have one or two."

Later, she jokingly asked the audience how many Weight Watchers points are in a bratwurst -- another Wisconsin staple.

About 750 people waved green and gold pompons and cheered as she walked into the Walter Theatre. It was an inspirational "super meeting" for Weight Watchers members and their friends.

Former 'Baywatch' star debunks death rumors

NEW YORK -- Pamela Anderson wants the world to know that she's not dying of hepatitis C.

The former "Baywatch" star admitted in March that she's lived with the potentially fatal disease for years.

"Now I have people coming out of the deli hugging me because they think I'm dying," Anderson told Jane magazine in a first-person story for its June/July issue. "I tell them, 'I'm not dying. I'm fine. But if you wanna give me a free sandwich, go ahead!"'

The 34-year-old actress said she's dealing with the liver disease with what she calls her "twisted sense of humor."

"Like, when I found out I had hepatitis, I wanted to make bikinis with pictures of livers on them and give the money to the Liver Foundation," she said.

'People' picks beautiful people for 13th time

NEW YORK -- She didn't win the Academy Award for "Moulin Rouge," but Nicole Kidman won a spot on the cover of People magazine's "The 50 Most Beautiful People" special issue.

Julia Roberts makes the 13th annual list for a record seventh time, and Halle Berry appears for the sixth time.

"You know, I could think of a lot worse things to be labeled," said Berry, who won the best-actress Oscar this year for "Monster's Ball."

Other familiar faces on the list include Cindy Crawford and Denzel Washington. Pop singers Britney Spears and Mandy Moore are both there.

From television, there's Sharon Osbourne, who's gained fame as Ozzy's wife on MTV's "The Osbournes," and Jeff Corwin, host of Animal Planet's "The Jeff Corwin Experience."

--From wire reports