NEW YORK: Thousands of James Brown fans lined up today to bid farewell to the ‘Godfather of Soul’ at a public viewing of his body on the New York stage where the singer first made his mark more than 40 years ago.

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Val Kilmer is reportedly set to sign up to star in a sequel to his 1985 comedy ‘Real Genius’.

The ‘Tombstone’ star recently announced his intentions to take on more comedic roles in the future in a bid to alter his Hollywood image and take his career to a new level.

In the original 80s project Kilmer played Chris Knight, one of two brilliant teenagers who head a team of young geniuses developing a laser for what they believe is a class project and later discover that their professor intends to turn their work over to the government for use as a weapon.

No shooting schedule has been announced.

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Seems like every other day I’m saying “Ok, NOW Hollywood is officially out of original ideas.” WHEN WILL IT END!??

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Director Spike Lee has signed on to shoot a movie about James Brown, the late “Godfather of Soul,” Daily Variety reported on Wednesday.

The authorized project is being developed for Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures by Brian Grazer, the Oscar-winning producer of “A Beautiful Mind,” the trade publication said, adding that production would likely begin in 2008.

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Tune in tomorrow for “Oliver Stone to make Gerald Ford biopic”

In other James Brown News:

NEW YORK - James Brown’s music career will come full circle when his body is brought to rest on the stage of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where he made his explosive debut, and the world changed to his beat.

The public will be permitted on Thursday to visit the Apollo to have one more look at a man who helped steer modern musical tastes toward rhythm-and-blues, funk, hip-hop, disco and rap, the Rev.
Al Sharpton said Tuesday. The reverend has been a close friend of Brown for decades.

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LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon’s scandal-shattered White House as the 38th and only unelected president in America’s history, has died, his wife, Betty, said Tuesday. He was 93.

Ford had battled pneumonia in January 2006 and underwent two heart treatments — including an angioplasty — in August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

He was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan, who also died at 93. Ford had been living at his desert home in Rancho Mirage, California, about 130 miles east of Los Angeles.

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I hope you’ll accept this belated gift..just for YOU!

SECOND LIFE, Dec 22 (Reuters) — Writer Warren Ellis, author of comic books, graphic novels, and two forthcoming novels, is bringing his “Second Life Sketches” to the Reuters Second Life News Center as a weekly column beginning next month.

Ellis, whose work includes “Transmetropolitan,” the futuristic story of gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem, has been in Second Life since January and publishing “Second Life Sketches” on his Web site since August. His home in Second Life can be found at Integral Bay.

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ATLANTA -
James Brown, the undeniable “Godfather of Soul,” told friends from his hospital bed that he was looking forward to performing on New Year’s Eve, even though he was ill with pneumonia. His heart gave out a few hours later, on Christmas morning.

The pompadoured dynamo whose classic singles include “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” and “I Got You (I Feel Good)” died Monday of heart failure, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. He was 73.

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Fans of the old TechTV will enjoy this episode of Revision3’s “In Digital” video blog. (If you can tolerate Will Wheaton, its worth a watch)

What started as a holiday gift guide with our friends from the glory days of TechTV turned into a hodgepodge of rants, raves, and other interesting ideas. There’s some gift ideas mixed in there somewhere. At the very least, TechTV fans will see lots of familiar faces.

InDigital’s Holiday Show

NEW YORK (AP) - Peter Boyle, the actor who transformed from an angry workingman in “Joe” to a tap-dancing monster in “Young Frankenstein” and finally the comically grouchy father on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” has died. He was 71.
Boyle died Tuesday evening at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He had been suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease, said his publicist, Jennifer Plante.

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Sometimes there’s just no words.

On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the U.S Constitution is ratified, repealing Prohibition. The manufacture, sale, and possession of alcoholic beverages is no longer illegal and the Seattle City Council enacts an emergency ordinance permitting the sale of beer and wine. In the state legislature, a majority supports state-owned liquor stores.