Backstreet Boys (news - web sites) singer Nick Carter is once again at the top of the charts — this time in high-speed powerboat racing.
The 22-year-old pop star watched his team, Nick Carter Racing, win the first race of this year's American Power Boat Association Offshore Tour on Sunday.
The event marked the debut of Carter's 40-foot, 130-mph Super Vee-class boat, which had never been tested in open-water competition.
"I didn't expect we would do so well," Carter said. "I would have been happy just to place."
Carter started the team in February so his father, Bob, could pilot the boat in races. Bob Carter let Key West chiropractor Steve Oropeza take the helm Sunday while fellow Key West resident Lee Murray handled the throttles.
Nick Carter also said he was "seriously thinking" about buying another race boat and running it himself.
"I've really gotten into the sport," he said. "I'll start off in one of the smaller classes, learn all I can."
The Carter family lives in the Florida Keys. They were introduced to high-speed offshore powerboat racing during last November's Offshore World Championships in Key West.
The Offshore Tour makes its next stop in Carter's hometown of Marathon on May 17-19.
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 04:36 p.m.
Includes $1 Million Contribution, Celebrity Basketball Tournament And Wal-Mart Promotion
ORLANDO, Fla., April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coca-Cola Company is contributing $1 million to *NSYNC's Challenge for the Children Foundation and helping the group to raise awareness for the Foundation, which raises money for various children's charities and programs nationwide. As part of the effort, Coca-Cola will be the title sponsor of this year's Challenge for the Children IV celebrity basketball tournament fund-raiser, which will be held in Orlando in July. In addition, an exclusive promotion designed to generate awareness of the Foundation will be conducted at Wal-Mart.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020429/NYM145)
"We are thrilled to have Coca-Cola on board as our title sponsor of this year's event," said *NSYNC member Justin Timberlake. "Together our foundation and The Coca-Cola Company can help make a difference in children's lives."
Challenge for the Children was created by the members of *NSYNC in 1999 to offer financial support to children's programs and charities throughout the country. The Foundation's focus includes funding for schools that have suffered educational cutbacks for sports and music education. Special attention is paid to children's healthcare causes including, but not limited to, pediatric AIDS, adoption and foster care, teen pregnancy, alcohol/drug prevention programs and the fight against teen violence.
"*NSYNC's Challenge for the Children Foundation fits perfectly with the Coca-Cola Youth Partnership platform, which emphasizes positive youth development through achievement, the arts and athletics," said Suzanne Glynn Robbins, senior brand manager, Coca-Cola classic, North American Division of The Coca-Cola Company. "We share the group's dedication to youth causes and are excited about helping them spread the word about the terrific things their Foundation does."
In addition to the title sponsorship of the celebrity basketball tournament in July, Coca-Cola plans to build awareness and reach of the Challenge for the Children Foundation through a promotion this summer conducted exclusively at Wal-Mart. Specially-marked 18-, 20- and 24-packs of Coca-Cola classic will contain collectible stickers of the group (one per package) featuring an exclusive photo and quote from of each group member, and information about the Challenge for the Children Foundation and how to get involved. The promotion will run in participating Wal-Mart stores from mid-June through July.
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 12:58 p.m.
Two days after a disastrous riding accident, Jewel is getting back on the horse -- at least, in a metaphorical sense. The singer broke her collarbone and her first rib in a riding accident at boyfriend Ty Murray's Texas ranch (allstar, April 25), casting plans for her upcoming European tour in doubt.
According to a statement from her record label, Jewel, who is currently under the care of an orthopedic surgeon, will be able to sing in two weeks, and to play guitar in four to six weeks. Her European tour, set to begin on May 10th in Italy, will continue as planned, with band members playing Jewel's guitar parts.
Her North American tour begins on June 14th in Tampa, Fla.
-- Allison Stewart
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 10:10 a.m.
More details are emerging about the car crash that killed TLC rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes in Honduras on Thursday night (April 25) (see related story). According to Atlantida, Honduras Police Chief Marco Tulio Palma Rivera and Web sites for the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Lopes was behind the wheel of a rented Mitsubishi SUV traveling through the Honduran village of Roma when her car lost control going around a curve and flipped several times.
Reports that Lopes was hit head-on while trying to pass another vehicle have so far been unsubstantiated, as has the known number of passengers in the car, though the passengers are thought to include Lopes' brother and sister, and members of the R&B group Egypt. Contrary to initial press reports, Lopes was wearing her seatbelt at the time. She is thought to have died instantly. The car's other occupants were taken to local hospitals; none are thought to have life-threatening injuries.
Lopes had spoken often in recent months of her love for Honduras, where she had a home on the northern coast. She frequently traveled for spiritual rejuvenation, and to volunteer at a child development facility. Her publicist, Jay Marose, told the AP that Lopes was in Honduras to work on her autobiography and a clothing line. Her body remains in the hospital in La Ceiba. Funeral plans will likely be announced later today.
-- Allison Stewart
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 10:08 a.m.
Actress Gina Gershon ("Showgirls," "Face/Off") will star in the film "Prey for Rock & Roll" as the leader of an all-girl band trying to make it big in the Los Angeles rock'n'roll scene. The film also stars Jennifer Esposito ("Don't Say A Word"), Jane Adams ("The Anniversary Party"), Shelly Cole ("Gilmore Girls), and Marc Blucas ("We Were Soldiers"), and veteran rocker Joan Jett as herself.
In an unusual move, Gershon will be performing the vocals in the film and is in the studio prerecording the music. She also will record live vocals for the film. Stephen Trask, a co-creator of the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," is the music producer for the "Prey for Rock" soundtrack album, whose lyrics were written by the film's co-author Cheri Lovedog. Jett will play lead guitar on the album.
Penned by Lovedog and Robin Whitehouse, the project is based on an off-off-Broadway play that the duo wrote and Whitehouse additionally directed and produced. "Prey for Rock & Roll" is based on Lovedog's true experiences putting together an all-girl rock band that played the L.A. club scene from 1980-93, and marks the feature directorial debut of Alex Steyermark. Shooting is scheduled to begin May 16 in Los Angeles.
-- Zorianna Kit, The Hollywood Reporter
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 10:07 a.m.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Members of the group 'N Sync (news - web sites) remembered singer Lisa Lopes on Sunday as an energetic performer who was always eager to work.
Justin Timberlake described Lopes as humble, fun, warm and loving.
"She had a passion for what she did," Timberlake said. "She loved to work and she loved to make music."
"She had high energy and a lust for life," said J.C. Chasez. "She was always energetic."
Lopes, one-third of the Grammy-winning trio TLC, died Thursday in a vehicle crash near Jutiapa, Honduras.
The 'N Sync members spoke of Lopes at a news conference in Orlando for the groups' Challenge for the Children Foundation. The foundation offers financial support to children's programs and charities around the nation.
Posted by Jen on Monday, April 29, 2002 @ 08:24 a.m.
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