People in the news

Oprah Winfrey says she weighs 200 pounds

Chicago — An embarrassed Oprah Winfrey says she’s “fallen off the wagon” of healthy living and has ballooned to 200 pounds.

In January’s “O” magazine, Winfrey, 54, details her recent struggles with an out-of-balance thyroid and how the condition made her develop “a fear of working out.” She says she’s gained 40 pounds since 2006, when she weighed 160.

“I look at my thinner self and think, ‘How did I let this happen again?'” the talk-show queen says in the article provided early to The Associated Press by Harpo Productions.

“I’m embarrassed,” she says. “I’m mad at myself.”

Winfrey’s weight and height put her body mass index at 31.8, which is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says people who are obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Winfrey says she’s abandoned trying to get thin. She just wants to be strong, healthy and fit.

Actor’s brother dies a week after shooting

Beverly Hills, Calif. — The brother of actor Mark Ruffalo has died a week after he was shot in the head, police said Tuesday.

Scott Ruffalo, 39, died late Monday night at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Renato Moreno said.

A phone message left early Tuesday for a Mark Ruffalo publicist wasn’t immediately returned.

Two people wanted for questioning about the shooting had surrendered themselves to police earlier Monday.

Shaha Mishaal Adham was suspected of shooting Scott Ruffalo, and authorities had issued an attempted murder arrest warrant for the 26-year-old. Brian Scofield was being held on a misdemeanor traffic warrant.

Jail records didn’t indicate whether the pair have hired attorneys, but showed that a court date for Adham had been tentatively scheduled for today.

Scott Ruffalo, a hairstylist, was found with a gunshot wound to the head in Beverly Hills on Dec. 1. Police haven’t discussed a motive.

Drescher eyes Clinton’s N.Y. Senate seat

Albany, N.Y. — The star of “The Nanny” wants to go from playing nasally New Yawkers to succeeding Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate.

Publicist Jordan Brown delivered the straight line that Fran Drescher is serious about becoming the next junior senator from New York. Brown cited Drescher’s experience as an actress, advocate for women’s health and public diplomacy envoy for the U.S. State Department.

The 51-year-old “Saturday Night Fever” and “This is Spinal Tap” actress joins a field headed by Caroline Kennedy and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. New York Gov. David Paterson will appoint Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s successor if she is confirmed secretary of state in the Obama administration.

Miami City Ballet drops orchestra to save cash

Miami Beach, Fla. — Miami City Ballet will forgo live orchestra and perform to recorded music for the second half of its 2008-09 season to save money.

Blaming the economy, ballet officials said Tuesday they cut the orchestra because of declining ticket sales and donor contributions. Live music for a full season would cost $480,000, but only $188,280 had been raised as of Thursday.

Musicians will play during ballet performances through January, except for the company’s holiday schedule of “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” which will feature taped music. Dancers will perform to recorded music for the remainder of the season, from February through April.

Artistic director and CEO Edward Villella says he hopes the recorded music will be temporary.

Insider: T.R. Knight wants to leave ‘Grey’s’

New York — A person with direct knowledge of the situation has confirmed that T.R. Knight has asked to be released from his contract with “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The actor, who plays Dr. George O’Malley, has asked to leave the ABC medical drama because he is unhappy with his storyline, the person said. Knight has three years left on his contract and the network has indicated it will release him, said the insider, who could not be identified because that person was not authorized to discuss negotiation details.

An ABC representative declined comment.

Entertainment Weekly magazine first reported news of Knight’s request Tuesday in a posting at ew.com. Writer Michael Ausiello quoted a person at ABC who was not identified as saying that the show and “Grey’s” creator Shonda Rhimes were prepared to let the 35-year-old actor go.

Coldplay responds to suit

Coldplay says it’s just coincidence if parts of the group’s new hit song “Viva La Vida” sound like “If I Could Fly,” a 2004 instrumental by guitarist Joe Satriani, who has sued the band for copyright infringement.

“(With) the greatest possible respect to Joe Satriani, we have now unfortunately found it necessary to respond publicly to his allegations,” the band said in a statement posted Tuesday on its official Web site, coldplay.com.

“If there are any similarities between our two pieces of music, they are entirely coincidental, and just as surprising to us as to him,” the statement said. “Joe Satriani is a great musician, but he did not write or have any influence on the song ‘Viva La Vida.’ We respectfully ask him to accept our assurances of this and wish him well with all future endeavors.”