CELEBRITY WATCH
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May 12, 2000
Web posted at: 4:52 p.m. EST (2052 GMT)

From staff and wire reports

Today's buzz stories:

• Jack Nicholson sued for assault
• Bobby Brown back in jail
• Schwarzenegger in China for Special Olympics
• Prince Charles revives harping tradition

Jack Nicholson sued for assault

Nicholson

LOS ANGELES -- A woman is suing actor Jack Nicholson for an alleged assault resulting from a reputed sexual tryst.

Catherine Sheehan claims Nicholson offered Sheehan and a friend $1,000 each to wear "little black dresses" and engage in sex acts with him at Nicholson's home four years ago. But things turned violent after Nicholson refused to pay them, according to Sheehan's suit, filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court. She alleges that Nicholson grabbed her by the hair, banged her head on the floor and threw her out of the house.

Sheehan claims Nicholson paid her a $32,000 settlement the next year. Now she says she wants the settlement rescinded, and is seeking punitive damages and reimbursement for medical and legal fees.

Nicholson has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards. He last won a best actor Oscar in 1998 for "As Good As It Gets."

Bobby Brown back in jail

Brown

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida -- Bobby Brown is back in jail in Florida, awaiting a court date on May 22 to face allegations that he violated terms of his probation. The singer was arrested by U.S. Customs agents in New Jersey on Wednesday after he and wife Whitney Houston returned from a trip to the Bahamas.

The arrest stems from an outstanding warrant accusing him of violating probation in a drunken-driving case in Florida. The warrant was issued nearly a year ago, in June 1999, after Brown's probation officer reported there was evidence of cocaine in his urine test.

Brown had been placed on probation after crashing his wife's sports car into a condominium sign.

Schwarzenegger in China for Special Olympics

Schwarzenegger

LOS ANGELES -- Arnold Schwarzenegger is lending his muscle to help promote the Special Olympics in China.

The action-adventure hero has long been a major booster of the sports program for mentally handicapped children. In his trip to China next week, he'll take part in a torch run at the Great Wall of China and a power-lifting demonstration.

While he's at it, Schwarzenegger will launch a film week screening eight of his movies in Chinese theaters, too. "Terminator II" and "Junior" will be shown in movie theaters in Beijing and Shanghai, while "Eraser," "Kindergarten Cop" and "Commando" will be among those screened on China's CCTV on consecutive nights.

The strong guy's visit is the first invitation that China has extended to an international movie star to launch a film event of this nature, according to Schwarzenegger's agent.

Proceeds will be donated to Special Olympics China, which aims to raise the number of mentally handicapped participants in the China program from 50,000 to 500,000 by the year 2004.

Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, is the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics in 1968.

Prince Charles revives harping tradition

Prince Charles

LONDON -- Prince Charles is taking England back to the Victorian Age. He has appointed a royal harpist to encourage the revival of the ancient Welsh performing tradition.

Catrin Finch, 20, is the first royal harpist since the reign since John Thomas, appointed to the job in 1871 by Queen Victoria. A student of the Royal Academy of Music who began playing the harp at age 6, Finch will be paid $3,750 per year, and will play at several engagements attended by Charles over the next two years.

This is just the start. Charles plans a new appointment every two years.

"I hope that by reestablishing the position I cannot only give support and recognition to a young harpist of ability like Catrin, but that I can help to encourage appreciation of the harp and its importance to Welsh culture and tradition," Charles said.

The Welsh harp is considered the national instrument of the country.