Actress apologizes for disparaging Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh – Sienna Miller apologized Friday for disparaging Pittsburgh in a magazine interview, saying her remarks were taken out of context and that she found the city and residents gracious.

The 24-year-old British actress, in town shooting the screen adaptation of Michael Chabon’s novel “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh,” called the city a profane name that rhymes with Pittsburgh.

Miller, who starred in “Layer Cake,” “Casanova” and the remake of “Alfie,” told Rolling Stone: “Can you believe this is my life? Will you pity me when you’re back in your funky New York apartment and I’m still in Pittsburgh? I need to get more glamorous films and stop with my indie year.”

Her remarks touched a nerve in this fiercely loyal city. Miller’s comments appeared in the city’s two major daily newspapers, a television news anchor offered to show Miller around, and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said she should see the town, “If she would have, I think she would have found that Pittsburgh is a great place to live.”

On Friday, Miller apologized in a statement issued by her publicist, saying she was referring to the fact that the production was shooting mostly at night and she had not had a chance to fully explore the city.

Shakira to donate concert proceeds to build school

Bogota, Colombia – Shakira will donate the proceeds from a concert in her hometown to build an arts school for 1,800 children forced to flee their homes by Colombia’s civil war.

The concert, part of the pop diva’s worldwide Oral Fixation tour, will is scheduled for Nov. 15 in the Caribbean port city of Barranquilla and is being billed as a festive homecoming for the hip-shaking international superstar who last month was nominated for five Latin Grammy awards.

The English and Spanish bilingual school will bear the name of Shakira’s Pies Descalzos (Spanish for Bare Feet) foundation and have an emphasis on arts education, the foundation said Thursday in a statement.

Bon Jovi, Clinton team up to restore Philadelphia

New York – When Jon Bon Jovi told former President Bill Clinton about a new plan to restore homes in one of Philadelphia’s most blighted neighborhoods, his pal was all ears.

Clinton “was intrigued enough that he offered his services, and said, ‘If I can help you in any way, don’t hesitate.’ And we didn’t,” Bon Jovi told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Clinton stood beside the rocker in Philadelphia on Thursday as he announced his project, called the Phase V Homeownership Project, to renovate 15 decaying homes – “messes of row homes,” Bon Jovi said – on two blocks on the city’s north side.

Bon Jovi teamed up with Habitat for Humanity, the Saturn automobile company and a local charity for the effort.