Boy George guilty of false imprisonment

London — Boy George, the flamboyant former Culture Club front man, was convicted Friday of falsely imprisoning a male escort.

Norwegian escort Audun Carlsen had alleged he was handcuffed to a wall hook at the singer’s east London apartment on April 28, 2007. Prosecutors said Carlsen was held by the singer, whose real name is George O’Dowd, for under an hour.

Carlsen, 29, said O’Dowd swung a metal chain at him when he got loose and fled the apartment following a naked photo shoot.

O’Dowd, who is 46, admitted he restrained Carlsen with handcuffs while trying to figure out whether Carlsen had tampered with a computer. The singer said he believed Carlsen had previously removed photos of himself that were taken by the singer.

Jurors were shown photos of welts on Carlsen’s head and injuries to his arm, which the escort said had been inflicted by O’Dowd. The singer denied he was responsible.

The iconic ’80s singer was released on bail following the verdict. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 16.

Aretha Franklin among singers at King concert

Washington — A free concert featuring Aretha Franklin will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington to pay tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The show is being sponsored by the performing arts center and Georgetown University. It will take place on Jan. 19, which is Martin Luther King Day.

Since 2003, the program has featured Kennedy Center honorees and popular entertainers. Franklin was an honoree in 1994.

Tickets will be available at the concert hall on the day of the show.

Hollywood’s No. 1 women: Winfrey, Jolie

Los Angeles — Oprah Winfrey tops The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 list, an annual ranking of the most influential women in the entertainment industry.

The chairwoman of Harpo Inc. was selected “based on her dizzying array of Oprah-branded media and her immense cultural influence,” editor-in-chief Elizabeth Guider said in a statement Friday.

The Hollywood Reporter also ranks the industry’s highest-paid actresses each year. Angelina Jolie is No. 1, commanding more than $15 million a movie, followed by Julia Roberts and last year’s top earner, Reese Witherspoon.

Co-star: Swayze had ‘good’ energy on ‘Beast’

New York — Travis Fimmel has nothing but respect for Patrick Swayze.

Fimmel and Swayze portray FBI agents in the upcoming A&E series “The Beast,” which premieres Jan. 15.

Fimmel says Swayze, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year, didn’t miss a day of work during the months-long shoot.

Says Fimmel: “He’s just a tough guy and is such a proud guy, and it’s amazing — you wouldn’t know there’s anything wrong with him at all.”

The Australian actor said in an interview that Swayze had “good” energy on the set and “wants to come back and do it all again.”

Swayze issued a statement this week affirming that so far he’s winning his fight against the disease and is responding well to treatment.

Jonas Brothers top list of celeb charity draws

New York — Want to raise money for a good cause? Recruit the Jonas Brothers.

The sibling sensations top Charity Folks’ list of the 10 hottest celebrity draws on the online charity-auction Web site.

The brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas raised $450,000 in an online charity auction by charityfolks.com, which arranged VIP tickets and meet-and-greets in exchange for donations to the band’s Change for the Children Foundation.

Billy Joel is second on the Charity Folks list with $400,000 earned from a private New York concert. Bruce Springsteen came in third with $300,000, followed by Morgan Freeman, Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers and the cast of “The Sopranos.”

DMX a no-show again; warrant issued — again

Phoenix — A judge in Phoenix has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of rapper DMX after he failed to show up in court Friday morning.

It was the second time DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, has missed an appearance in Maricopa County Superior Court.

The 37-year-old is facing charges of drug possession, identity theft and animal cruelty stemming from three felony arrests.

Judge Michael Kemp has now raised DMX’s bond to $120,000 cash.

His attorney, Charles Kolzelka, says the hip-hop performer is at an undisclosed rehab facility.

Bettie Page in hospital after heart attack

Los Angeles — Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday.

“She’s critically ill,” Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide told The Associated Press.

He said the 85-year-old had the heart attack Tuesday and was hospitalized Friday in the Los Angeles area.

A family friend, Todd Mueller, said Page was in a coma. When asked to confirm, Roesler said, “I would not deny that,” but he would not comment further on her condition.

Page, a secretary turned model, is credited with helping set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious 1960s.