Prosecution wraps up case in Michael Jackson trial

Santa Maria, Calif.– Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday in the Michael Jackson trial after more than two months of dramatic testimony in which they sought to prove that the pop star molested a teenage cancer patient and conspired to hold his family captive at his fairy-tale estate.

The defense immediately filed a motion for a judgment of acquittal on grounds the prosecution did not prove its case. Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville said the motion would be heard first thing today.

Dist. Atty. Tom Sneddon closed his case pending the judge’s decisions on whether to admit various items that had been shown to the jury but had not yet been formally entered into evidence. The judge said the prosecution could reopen its case later depending on his decisions.

Get the debt down

New York — Can Russell Simmons make debt consolidation hot?

The music and fashion mogul is teaming with exuberant TV money guru Suze Orman for the latest incarnation of his Hip-Hop Summit, a six-city tour designed to teach young people how to manage their money.

The idea is to use star power — Eminem and “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino have signed on — to teach money lessons that Simmons and Orman say aren’t being learned at home or in the schools.

Simmons said the “summits” would focus on basic banking, understanding and fixing credit scores, managing assets, home ownership and car financing.

The tour, called Get Your Money Right, opens May 14 in Detroit. Events are planned for Washington on June 7, Miami on July 15, St. Louis on Aug. 20, Los Angeles on Sept. 17 and Chicago on Nov. 5.

Jolie visits Pakistan

Islamabad, Pakistan — Angelina Jolie met Pakistan’s prime minister in Islamabad to thank him for hosting Afghan refugees.

Her visit with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday came two days after a census showed that more than 3 million Afghans were living in Pakistan. Millions of Afghans have fled to Pakistan to escape wars and poverty since 1979, when Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan.

Jolie, who is a U.N. goodwill ambassador, will meet Afghan refugees during her three-day stay, officials said.

The 29-year-old actress began working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2001. She has visited refugee camps throughout the world.

Lawsuit dismissed against ‘Real Time’ host Maher

Los Angeles — A judge has dismissed a $9 million lawsuit that accused political comic Bill Maher of reneging on a promise to marry a former girlfriend and support her for life, Maher’s lawyer said.

A Superior Court judge on Monday threw out the palimony lawsuit by Nancy “Coco” Johnsen, a former model and flight attendant who dated Maher for months, according to a joint statement from Maher’s lawyer, Adam Streisand, and publicist Cece Yorke.

The lawsuit, which was filed in November, sought $9 million and other unspecified damages. It accused Maher, the HBO “Real Time” host, of fraud, battery and assault.

Streisand and Yorke didn’t return calls seeking additional comment Tuesday, and a lawyer for Johnsen couldn’t immediately be located.

Maher filed a request to dismiss the lawsuit later in November, claiming he was a “confirmed bachelor” and never promised to marry or support Johnsen. California law doesn’t acknowledge her palimony allegations, his lawyer argued.

MTV taps Fallon to host awards show again

New York — Actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon will return as host of the MTV Movie Awards.

“I’m kinda bummed because I thought I had a shot at being named Pope … but this is cool, too,” Fallon said Wednesday in a statement to The Associated Press. He hosted the 2001 MTV Movie Awards and the 2002 Video Music Awards.

The 14th annual awards ceremony will be taped June 4 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show will air June 9.

“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “Mean Girls” top the nominees, with four each. Nominations for “Mean Girls” include best female performance for Lindsay Lohan. “Anchorman” star Will Ferrell is nominated for best comedic performance.

Up for best movie are “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” “The Incredibles,” “Spider-Man 2,” “Ray” and “Napoleon Dynamite.”

Nominees were chosen through a national poll of MTV and MTV2 viewers. Winners will be decided by viewer voting by phone or online at MTV.com.

Production suspended for ‘Chappelle’s Show’

New York — Production of the popular Comedy Central series “Chappelle’s Show” has been suspended and its third season’s premiere indefinitely delayed.

Comedy Central issued a statement Wednesday, saying: “All parties are optimistic that production will resume in the near future.”

The season will not start May 31 as originally scheduled, the statement added.

Neither Comedy Central publicist Tony Fox nor Dave Chappelle’s spokesman, Matt Labov, would discuss what caused the halt in production or how long it might last.

This unexpected turn deprives the network of one of its most valuable properties, a sketch-comedy series with a raw, satirical edge that became a critical and popular hit.

Last season the show was nominated for three Emmys, including outstanding comedy series.