Carson home not hot property

Norfolk, Neb. — A dozen bids made on an Internet auction site for Johnny Carson’s boyhood home were rejected by owners because they were too low.

The home of the former host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” has been for sale on eBay for a month.

The highest of 12 bids was $154,400, only $4,400 above what owners Jim Pruett and Rick Runge paid for the house.

“I’m not going to give up after 30 days,” Pruett said.

Pruett said the house would again be listed on the auction site in hopes of a higher bid. They also may try their luck with a real estate agent.

Pruett and Runge bought the house in March. They put the home on virtual market after it was refurbished.

Jordan royal races for peace

Amman, Jordan — Jordan’s Queen Rania ran in a charity fund-raising event to show her support for a new U.S.-led effort to forge peace in the Middle East.

Rania finished third among more than 100 women who participated in the 10-kilometer run Friday through Amman.

The run was organized for the benefit of the Society for Care of Neurological Patients, which provides financial assistance for patients.

Rania’s husband, King Abdullah, will play host to a summit Tuesday that will bring together President Bush, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Hayes’ songs get second chance

Los Angeles — To paraphrase his hit song “Shaft” — who’s the soul singer with two songs restored to the concert film “Wattstax”?

Hayes. Isaac Hayes.

His performances of “Theme From ‘Shaft”‘ and “Soulsville” were eliminated from the final version of “Wattstax” in 1973 because of a copyright dispute. But the finale footage has been replaced for a 30th-anniversary version, set for a limited theatrical run starting Friday.

The film was originally billed as the “black Woodstock,” edited from a seven-hour concert for the benefit of the Watts Summer Festival in August 1972 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. More than 110,000 people were in attendance, according to the movie’s producers. Other artists who performed were the Staple Sisters, the Bar-Kays, Albert King and Rufus Thomas.

Corea comes in for honors

San Juan, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico is honoring Chick Corea at its annual jazz festival, which runs through today.

The 13th edition of the Puerto Rico Jazzfest, which began Thursday, is a tribute to the 61-year-old pianist-composer for his contributions to jazz and his connections to Latin culture, organizers said.

“Chick’s blood is warmed by the Latin rhythms,” festival producer Luis Alvarez said this week during a news conference with the artists.

Corea differed. “It’s difficult to explain music by blood. It’s more easy to explain music by spirit. It could be anything coming from anybody at any time.”

The festival is at the Tito Puente Amphitheater in San Juan. Other performers include saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, trombonist William Cepeda, vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Makoto Ozone.