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March 28, 2000
Web posted at: 4:31 p.m. EST (2131 GMT)

From staff and wire reports

Today's buzz stories:

• Priestley sentenced to slammer
• Sheen taken off probation
• Zeppelin's Page settles libel suit
• 'Frasier' producer bails
• 'Potter' hits puberty

Priestley sentenced to slammer

Priestly

LOS ANGELES -- "90210" goody-two-shoes Jason Priestley is headed to jail for a short stint.

The 30-year-old actor Tuesday pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge in connection with a traffic accident in December. A judge ordered Priestley to spend five days in jail, serve three years probation and enter a drug or alcohol treatment program.

Police arrested Priestley December 3, after he crashed his Porsche into a power pole, trash cans and a parked car in Hollywood. Priestley was not hurt, but his passenger suffered a broken arm.

Priestley told officers on the scene he swerved to avoid a deer.

Sheen taken off probation

Charlie Sheen

MALIBU, California -- Charlie Sheen is off probation more than two months early after a judge Monday cut him a break.

The 34-year-old actor had been on probation for two years for alcohol and drug abuse and a 1996 battery conviction against a former girlfriend, but Malibu Municipal Court Judge Lawrence Mira curtailed the punishment 71 days early.

"You've made an enormous turnaround in your life and career," he told Sheen. "You don't need me anymore."

Sheen, who plans to replace Michael J. Fox in the ABC sitcom "Spin City," told reporters he was grateful to have a second chance.

"They say the longest journey begins with a single step," he said. "I took that first step two years ago in the courtroom. Everything has improved since then."

Zeppelin's Page settles libel suit

Page

LONDON -- Former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has settled a libel suit with a magazine that accused him of causing or contributing to the death of the group's drummer, John Bonham.

Bonham died 20 years ago, after drinking and then choking on his own vomit. Ministry magazine reported last year that Page was more concerned about keeping vomit off his bed than saving Bonham's life. The article also states Page stood over Bonham's body, wearing satanic robes and chanting a useless spell.

Publishers Ministry Magazine Ltd. and the magazine's editor, Scott Manson, apologized to Page for the allegations and agreed to pay undisclosed damages and his legal costs.

Page's attorney says the money will go to the performer's favorite charity, the Action for Brazil's Children Trust.

'Frasier' producer bails

"Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer, pictured, has worked with Christopher Lloyd on the show for the past seven seasons

LOS ANGELES -- One of the brains behind the Emmy-winning NBC sitcom "Frasier" is calling it quits, according to Variety.

Christopher Lloyd says he'll step down as executive producer at the end of the season, the trade publication reports. He's been with the program seven seasons -- 168 episodes.

Writers Mark Reisman and Dan O'Shannon are expected to take over production duties next season, while Lloyd focuses on developing new projects for Paramount.

'Potter' hits puberty

LONDON -- Schoolboy wizard Harry Potter will soon discover the charms of girls, author J.K. Rowling says.

"Last time you met him, he was 13," she told a crowd at the British Library. "He's 14 now, and he's started to realize girls are quite interesting.

"I tend to think that if someone is sufficiently engaged in one of the books, he's not going to be too disappointed if, at some point, his hero holds hands with a little girl."

Rowling added that she would never tackle issues such as drugs or teen pregnancies in a children's book, but that does not mean the fourth installment, due out in July, would avoid adult themes.

"I've said all along there will be death," Rowling said. "And yes, you see a death in book four."