People

Schwarzenegger cough drop taken off eBay auction

Sacramento, Calif. — A seller on eBay tried to auction off a cough drop that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger allegedly used, then tossed into a trash can — listing the item under the heading “Schwarzenegger’s DNA.”

But the ad posted on the popular Web site Friday was quickly yanked after eBay decided it fell into the category of “body parts,” which the Web site will not list for sale.

The original listing was accompanied by two photos of a half-consumed cough drop and the words, “Own a piece of DNA from the man himself.” The seller indicated she or he had seen Schwarzenegger discard the lozenge at a recent public event and had retrieved it.

‘Suge’ Knight’s company to pay damages for beating

Los Angeles — Death Row Records was ordered to pay more than $162,000 to a man who said label owner Marion “Suge” Knight and his bodyguards attacked him at a recording studio in 2001.

In issuing its verdict Tuesday, the Superior Court jury did not hold Knight personally liable for the altercation with Dwayne H. Baudy but ruled that Death Row Records was responsible for the actions of Knight’s security guards.

Baudy, who underwent surgery for a ruptured disc and now walks with a cane, said he went to Con Am Studios on Nov. 6, 2001, to meet an independent rap producer. He said he and a friend got into a confrontation with Death Row’s security chief, Reginald Wright Jr.

Fashion week at ‘Sesame Street’

New York — Nicole Miller can tell you how to get to Sesame Street — and she can tell you what to wear when you go there.

The fashion designer is working with Sesame Workshop on “‘Sesame Street’ by Nicole Miller,” an apparel line for newborns, infants and toddlers.

The clothing, with patterns based on the television characters Zoe, Elmo, Grover and Cookie Monster, should be in department stores in spring 2005. Sesame Workshop will donate the proceeds it receives from product sales to educational projects for children around the world.

Judge rejects stalker’s claim against Britney Spears

Los Angeles — Pop singer Britney Spears has been removed as defendant from a lawsuit filed by a Japanese man under a court order to stay away from her.

Spears and two of her security guards were sued by Masahiko Shizawa for causing him “extreme emotional distress” stemming from a confrontation with the guards outside her home in October 2002.

Besides Spears, U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper removed one guard, Mike Zandi, as a defendant. She let stand the claims against guard Robert Feggans.

Shizawa claims Zandi and Feggans intimidated him outside Spears’ home, and that Feggans pointed a gun at him.

Shizawa has been ordered to stay at least 300 yards from Spears, who contends he sent her several love letters, e-mails and faxes, as well as photos of himself and notes saying, “I’m chasing you.”