Talk show host Conan O’Brien sizes up ‘Tonight Show’ set

Los Angeles – He’s still two years away from replacing Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show,” but already Conan O’Brien seems to be sizing things up.

“Have you planned any changes while … you were looking?” Leno asked when O’Brien dropped by the late-night talk show Friday.

O’Brien reassured Leno, the show’s host since 1992, that he won’t be moving onto its Burbank set any time soon.

“It’s years away,” O’Brien quipped, adding that rather than succeed Leno in 2009 as planned, he’s decided to take the job Rosie O’Donnell is leaving on daytime television’s “The View.”

“I got the call this morning from Barbara Walters,” he said, adding he planned to pick up where O’Donnell leaves off and begin picking on Donald Trump.

Leno joked that the redheaded O’Brien has “got the hair” for the part, although “it’s going the wrong way” to really match Trump’s elaborate comb-over.

“Exactly,” said O’Brien, who has hosted “Late Night” since 1993.

Singer Keith says donations may have surpassed $400K

Oklahoma City – Toby Keith says this year’s charity auction for families of pediatric cancer patients may have surpassed the $400,000 raised last year.

The country music star was hosting the 4th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic this weekend, which included a charity auction and dinner Friday in Oklahoma City.

“It was a late night, and I don’t have all the numbers, but I think we raised more money last night than we ever have,” Keith said Saturday. “I know that we raised about $400,000 last year, and I feel like we went past that last night.”

The items auctioned included memorabilia from Garth Brooks, Sammy Hagar and Bob Seger, and sports memorabilia autographed by golfer Tiger Woods and baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle.

The proceeds benefit Ally’s House, an organization named after the daughter of Keith’s original bandmate Scott Webb. Allison died in August 2003, one month before her third birthday, from a form of kidney cancer called Wilm’s tumors.

Car-theft charges against Daniel Baldwin are dismissed

Santa Ana, Calif. – Car-theft charges against Daniel Baldwin were dropped Friday.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Kelly MacEachern dismissed the charges at the prosecution’s request during a brief hearing, said Farrah Emami, district attorney spokeswoman.

“After following up on statements that were provided to us by witnesses and the victim, we determined that the evidence didn’t support us going forward with the case,” she said.

Authorities had alleged the actor stole a 2003 GMC Yukon from a friend, Ken Smith, but Baldwin said it was a misunderstanding. Smith reported the car missing without knowing his cousin lent Baldwin the keys to the vehicle, the actor said.

Bill Clinton: Grads should examine role in changing world

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Former President Bill Clinton challenged University of Michigan graduates to do their part in a world marred by inequality and insecurity.

Speaking to 6,500 graduates at the school’s spring commencement, Clinton punctuated his 23-minute speech with bits of humor while stressing community and responsibility.

“Think about how you are going to define your citizenship of your nation, community and the world, and how you will reconcile that with your different identities,” Clinton said.

An estimated 59,000 people filled more than half the seats in Michigan Stadium. While Clinton mostly avoided politics in his address, several students wore graduation caps with “end the war” written or taped on top.