Author's use of lyrics strikes a sour note
More than 40 years after his first brush with fame, Joe Bennett's not sure he wants this one.In Stephen King's latest book, "Hearts in Atlantis," the author includes lyrics from the 1957 song "Black Slacks" by Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones.
But Bennett, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, objects to what he says is King's explicit and offensive language in the book.
"I don't want to seem pious, but this is absolutely not endorsed by me," he said. "That's the bottom line. This is just shock stuff."
The song helped the group earn two slots on the "Ed Sullivan Show" and was recorded by Simon and Garfunkel. The rights are owned by MCA, which got $10,000 from King last year to use it.
Bennett didn't know the song was in the book until he got a royalty statement last month. He asked King in a letter not to use it again.
Writer was obsessed with book on Hillary
It's not exactly a bedtime story, but Peggy Noonan says she deliberately wrote her new book about Hillary Rodham Clinton "so that it could be read aloud in bed."
"I know couples who are split on Hillary, and they talk past each other when the subject of Hillary comes up," said Noonan, President Reagan's former speech writer and author of "The Case Against Hillary Clinton." "So I thought, write a book that can be spoken aloud."
Noonan also said Monday that she got so obsessed with writing the book, a sometimes critical view of the first lady, that there were days she didn't bother getting dressed.
"I sat down Sept. 1 to write it and I got up Nov. 2," she said. "I was going to bed at night and then getting up the next morning to write some more."
Jackson still pursuing theme park in Poland
Michael Jackson canceled a visit to Poland this week after negotiations stalled on his proposed theme park, but he still hopes to pursue the project, officials in Warsaw said Monday.
Despite calling off the trip, the pop star "would like to confirm his interest in Warsaw and hopes that his investment plans will eventually come to fruition," said a statement issued by his spokeswoman, Elizabeth Singler Mather, and Andrzej Machowski, a spokesman for Warsaw's mayor.
Mayor Pawel Piskorski invited Jackson for a two-day visit that was to have started Tuesday. It was believed Jackson was to look at possible sites for his planned family oriented theme park.
Jackson signed a letter of intent with Warsaw officials in 1997 to develop the $500 million park, but the two sides have not agreed on a location.