CALL HIM CHARLES -- SHEEN WANTS MORE SERIOUS NAME
Charlie Sheen wants to be taken seriously.Hollywood's bad boy, whose public persona has been shaped by his wild partying as well as his movie career, has put out the word: He wants to be called Charles.
Sheen, 33, decided about a year ago to go the way of Rick Schroder, said Sheen publicist Jeff Ballard. Schroder, who went by Ricky when he was a child star on television's "Silver Spoons," is now plain old Rick and a star on "NYPD Blue."
Sheen stars in tonight's HBO movie "Under Pressure" and credits list him as Charles -- a more serious-sounding name, Ballard said Thursday.
"On screen he's going with the credit Charles. I still call him Charlie, but I've known him since he was 16," he said.
AWARD SHOW WILL GO ON WITHOUT ROSIE AS EMCEE
This year's Tony Award show will go on without talk-show diva Rosie O'Donnell.
Through a spokeswoman, O'Donnell confirmed Thursday that she won't be host of Broadway's annual award ceremony in June, saying she doesn't have the time.
"Rosie was looking forward to hosting the awards, but her schedule simply does not allow it," said her spokeswoman, Jennifer Glaisek. "She's taking her show on the road in May and unless they find a way to clone her, she just can't be there for the rehearsals."
DOUGLAS GIVING $738,000 TO BUILD KIDS' PLAY AREAS
It's going to be playtime for kids, thanks to $738,000 handed out by Kirk Douglas and his wife, Anne.
The couple announced 38 recipients Wednesday of their Playground Enhancement Award, financed by the Douglases and two foundations to restore and create play areas for children.
"The children of Los Angeles deserve to have clean, safe places to play," the actor said. "Anne and I firmly believe that playing not only leads to better learning but is one of the basic rights of childhood that we should all work to protect."
This year's awards will create playgrounds for 56,000 children.
SHADES AREN'T STATEMENT: SENATOR JUST HAD SURGERY
Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings isn't trying to make a fashion or political statement with his dark sunglasses. The South Carolina Democrat simply is recovering from eye surgery. Hollings wore the sunglasses on Tuesday during President Clinton's State of the Union address. He also has worn them at times during the impeachment proceedings.