‘Survivor’ Boston Rob loses game but gains bride-to-be

New York City– It was “Survivor” meets “The Bachelor” at Madison Square Garden.

The country’s most popular reality game was thrown a curve Sunday night when one of the final two “Survivor” contestants, “Boston Rob” Mariano, pulled out a ring and proposed to the other one, Amber Brkich.

Brkich, who wore a T-shirt proclaiming her love for Mariano, quickly accepted.

Then her night got even better when host Jeff Probst counted the votes from the all-star “Survivor” edition. Brkich, of Beaver, Pa., beat Mariano by a 4-3 margin. She wins $1 million.

CBS also announced — in an “American Idol” twist — that it was calling on fans of the show to vote one of the losing 17 contestants of “Survivor All-Stars” a second million-dollar prize. That prize will be awarded on a live show Thursday.

Olsen twins lose at box office

Los Angeles — Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein stomped the Olsen twins in the first major box-office contest of the summer blockbuster season.

The monster-hunting adventure “Van Helsing,” starring Hugh Jackman as a creature slayer, opened at No. 1 with $54.2 million.

Mary-Kate and Ashley’s comedy “New York Minute,” a major test of the direct-to-video starlets’ theatrical prowess as they near age 18, debuted in fourth place with $6.2 million — a weak showing compared to the popularity of other recent teen comedies like “13 Going on 30” and “Mean Girls.”

Other estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.: “Mean Girls” placed second with $14 million; “Man on Fire” was third with $7.9 million, and “13 Going on 30” came in fifth with $5.5 million.

Keep it down

Gulf Shores, Ala.– City officials say they are going to crack down on loud music at Lulu’s, the coastal restaurant co-owned by singer Jimmy Buffett.

“It sounds like we need to have some serious discussion with them about what is expected over there,” said Mayor David Bodenhamer at a city council work session.

Jason Newsom, manager of Lulu’s, said the restaurant had made compromises to accommodate its neighbors, including limiting outdoor performances to the daytime.

“It’s tough, you know, it’s 2 p.m.,” he said. “We’re next to an airport, for goodness’ sake.”

Jimmy Buffett, a native of nearby Mobile, made it big singing about the vagaries of life in the tropics. His hits include “Margaritaville.”

Something for Grisham fans

Little Rock, Ark.– The farmhouse featured in the film version of author John Grisham’s best-seller “A Painted House” will open to the public.

Mayor Dale Dunlap said residents of Lepanto in northeastern Arkansas, where many of the movie’s scenes were shot, hoped the house would attract Grisham fans and curious travelers passing by on nearby highways.

“A Painted House” is Grisham’s 2001 tale of life in Arkansas cotton country in the 1950s.