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ITTY BITTY BITS: Court for Snipes ally; Rodriguez preps for ‘Battle’; Diddy on Music Choice; Latifah’s generosity; ‘Choice’ chooses Washington.
*Eddie Ray Kahn, one of two men indicted with Wesley Snipes on eight counts of tax fraud, was due in a Florida federal court Wednesday. According to the Oct. 17 indictment, Snipes used Kahn's tax packages to unsuccessfully claim nearly $12 million in refunds for taxes he paid in 1996 and 1997. Snipes had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients, reports said. Snipes, meanwhile, is still in Namibia shooting a film, as there is no extradition treaty between the African country and the U.S. forcing his immediate return. Douglas Rosile, a Venice, Fla., an accountant who worked on Snipes' taxes, was released by a federal judge in Ocala after he surrendered to authorities Oct. 17. All three men face conspiracy-to-defraud charges.
*Michelle Rodriguez has been cast in the ensemble drama “Battle In Seattle,” joining OutKast’s Andre Benjamin, Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta and Martin Henderson. Theron’s longtime boyfriend Stuart Townsend will write and direct the story about the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle and ensuing riots from various perspectives, such as those of protesters, pedestrians, politicos, police and WTO delegates. Five weeks of principal photography begins on Nov. 6 in locations around Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington, reports Production Weekly.
*Sean “Diddy” Combs is November's “Artist of the Month” on multi-platform music network, Music Choice On Demand. His music videos "Bad Boy For Life" and "Come To Me," the first single from his new No. 1 album “Press Play,” will be available for viewing this month, along with videos from a variety of artists from Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. Music Choice On Demand reaches millions of music fans through their TVs, PCs and cell phones. Visit the Web site at (http://www.musicchoice.com).
*Queen Latifah was reportedly so moved by Cambodian activist Somaly Mam, a fellow Glamour magazine Woman of the Year, that she wrote a $150,000 check on the spot for the woman’s organization Acting For Women In Distressing Situations, which works to assist girls sold into prostitution in southeast Asia. Latifah and Mam were among the women receiving awards from the magazine during a ceremony Monday night in New York. Inspired by Latifah’s generosity, Barbara Walters dipped into her purse and immediately matched the rapper’s pledge, reports the New York Daily News. Mam has helped rescue 3,000 girls from brothels in southeast Asia.
*Isaiah Washington is among the talent tapped to announce nominations for the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards on Tuesday (Nov. 7) in Beverly Hills. The winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony broadcast from The Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, January 9 (9:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on CBS. Other actors scheduled to announce nominees include Washington’s “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star Kate Walsh, and “How I Met Your Mother” stars Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan.
*Casting directors for ABC’s “Wife Swap” are looking for “hip hop families” to participate in the upcoming third season. A national search is on for “outgoing families (moms, dads and kids between the ages of 5 and 18) who can answer yes to the following questions: Do you or all of your family members live a hip hop lifestyle? Do you embody the hip hop style in everything from your music and wardrobe to your career choice? Is freedom of expression important to you and your children? Could you teach another family a thing or two about the hip hop culture?” Featured families receive a $20,000 honorarium. To apply or to get more information, call 212-404-1439 or e-mail Rachel.Hertz@rdfusa.com. Be sure to mention EURWEB.com.
*Eddie Murphy’s new rumored child with girlfriend Scary Spice will be about three-years-old when Daddy returns as Donkey in the DreamWorks Animation film “Shrek 4.” The studio announced Tuesday that it will release the film in 2010.
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