People talk

Rockers ready release of double CD album

NEW YORK -- Rolling Stones fans will be taking their licks this fall.

The rock band is releasing "40 Licks" -- a double-compact disc retrospective that includes four new tracks on Oct. 1. The CD will include 40 songs, including classic hits such as "Brown Sugar," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "Miss You."

The album will coincide with the Stones' fall tour, scheduled to begin Sept. 3 in Boston.

Diva Cher entertains at sold-out shows

LAS VEGAS -- Cher delivered a Vegas-sized spectacle to sold-out audiences this weekend as part of her farewell tour, and issued some advice to up-and-coming divas.

Before Friday, Cher's most recent Las Vegas performance was in May when she came to the Neon City for the cable television concert "VH1 Divas," which included veterans such as Celine Dion and newer performers Anastacia and Shakira.

Cher's shows on Friday and Saturday had many of the same elements as others on the Las Vegas Strip, including a circus act with a paper elephant and seven dancers who performed Cirque du Soleil-inspired acrobatics.

The singer-actress sported at least 10 different costumes and wigs from over her four-decade career. Songs were interspersed with video clips.

Cher sang hits ranging from "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" to "Believe," and told the 14,200 in attendance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that this is the last time she plans to tour.

After some fans booed the 56-year-old's announcement, she responded: "Give me a frigging break. I've been a frigging diva for 40 frigging years. This is the last time I'm going to do this."

For young divas, Cher had this advice: "I think this is a great show," she said. "So follow this."

Author delivers pitch at opening game

BANGOR, Maine -- Stephen King threw the ceremonial first pitch to kick off the opening game of the Senior League baseball World Series.

The author and his wife, Tabitha, walked to the pitcher's mound in Mansfield Stadium on Sunday while the announcer asked, "Where's the ball?" over the stadium's public address system.

Gov. Angus King then roared onto the field on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, pulled the baseball from his pocket and gave it to the author, who threw the pitch.

Stephen King is a big Red Sox fan -- one of his books, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon," refers to the former Red Sox pitcher. He and his wife donated considerable amounts of money to the construction of Mansfield Stadium in their hometown.

Bangor is the host to the 10-team tournament featuring 14- to 16-year-old players. The championship game is scheduled for next Saturday.

Rapper says America has new Elvis -- Eminem

NEW YORK -- Public Enemy frontman Chuck D derided Elvis Presley on the group's 1989 anthem "Fight The Power," but it turns out his feelings for Presley are a little more complicated than the song suggests.

"As a musicologist -- and I consider myself one -- there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions. As a black people, we all knew that," the rapper said.

"My whole thing was the one-sidedness -- like, Elvis' icon status in America made it like nobody else counted. ... My heroes came from someone else. My heroes came before him. My heroes were probably his heroes. As far as Elvis being 'The King,' I couldn't buy that."

Chuck D spoke to Newsday about Presley's legacy for a 25th anniversary story on the singer's death.

On "Fight the Power," he said of Presley, "Elvis was a hero to most/But he never meant (expletive) to me, you see/Straight up racist that sucker was, simple and plain."

As for whether there is a modern-day Elvis, Chuck D points to Eminem.

"Eminem is the new Elvis because, No. 1, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had," Chuck D said. "I think he's courteous and sympathetic to black music, and, unfortunately, he's more sympathetic to black music than many black artists themselves."

Public Enemy's new album is "Revolverlution."

Filmmakers take issue with lighting up

NEW YORK -- Rob Reiner has a new ally in the fight against smoking in Hollywood: screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.

Four years ago, Reiner led the successful campaign to boost cigarette taxes to support programs for California children. Now the actor and director has drawn the support of Eszterhas, who recently announced he has throat cancer and apologized for glamorizing smoking in his scripts for films including "Basic Instinct."

"Rob Reiner, who in my smoking days I used to nearly loathe, I think is a hero on this turf because he almost single-handedly until now has led this battle in Hollywood -- not just in Hollywood, but on a personal level with things like the California Tax Initiative," Eszterhas said Monday on CNN's "American Morning."

The 57-year-old is urging other writers, as well as directors and actors, to cut out cigarette use in films.