People in the news

Costner releases debut CD with his band

Nashville, Tenn. – He’s played Wyatt Earp, Robin Hood and Eliot Ness in the movies, but Kevin Costner says his most natural gig is playing music with his band.

“This is as close to my personality as I ever get, playing live,” Costner said recently. “When I’m making a movie I’m playing whoever I’m playing. But my personality comes out on stage when I play live. That’s when you see me the clearest.”

Costner, 53, and his band, Modern West, released their debut CD, “Untold Truths,” this week.

The disc features 12 songs, half of them written or co-written by Costner, who’s the lead singer and plays guitar. The sound is roots-rock with elements of country. The group is signed to Nashville-based Universal Records South.

West says he’s ‘voice of this generation’

London – Kanye West is to music what Michael Jordan was to basketball – at least that’s what West thinks, in his humble estimation.

“I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “It’s me settling into that position of just really accepting that it’s one thing to say you want to do it and it’s another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan.”

The Grammy-winning rapper-producer said Justin Timberlake had a chance to be music’s MVP, but hasn’t put out enough material. (Timberlake’s last album was in 2006, while West released a CD last year and is releasing his latest – “808s and Heartbreak” – on Nov. 24.)

“There were people who had the potential to do it but they went on vacation, so when Justin went on vacation I made albums,” he said. “And it just came out to be that.”

Whoopi to produce a musical ‘Sister Act’

New York – Whoopi Goldberg is getting in the act again with “Sister Act.”

The performer will produce but not star in a London stage version of her hit 1992 movie about an on-the-lam singer who hides out in a convent. The musical will open June 2, 2009, at the London Palladium, with preview performances beginning May 6.

Goldberg will join forces with Stage Entertainment, one of Europe’s largest theatrical producers, a company headed by Joop Van Den Ende, in presenting the show.

“I really liked the direction they were going in,” Goldberg said in a telephone interview. “It (the film) is almost 20 years old. Rather than have someone repeat what was, you have to take it and redo it. That’s what they’ve done and they’ve done it really well.”

“Sister Act” had its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in California in 2006 and later played Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

Jennifer Hudson appears in new Gap ads

New York – The Gap considered removing smiling portraits of Jennifer Hudson from its new holiday ads after her recent tragedy, but decided to keep the images after the grieving star said she wanted to go ahead with the campaign, a representative for the clothing chain said Friday.

“We felt that it was really important first and foremost to respect what she wanted to do, so as long as she felt comfortable with her campaign being out there, we felt comfortable,” said Olivia Doyne, director of engagement marketing and public relations for Gap.

The company’s new print, store and billboard ads were unveiled Thursday. Several celebrities are featured, including Mary-Louise Parker, Jason Bateman, Rainn Wilson, Ashanti and Seth Myers.

Hudson’s photos were taken in July in advance of what was expected to be a busy winter season for Hudson, who released her self-titled debut CD and was featured in the film “The Secret Life of Bees” in October.

Joe Jonas on breakup: I am not a cad

New York – Joe Jonas is tired of hearing about how he’s a bad boyfriend – and now he’s trying to defend himself.

The 19-year-old – part of dreamy teen band the Jonas Brothers with his two siblings – has gotten an avalanche of negative publicity after former girlfriend and fellow multiplatinum singer Taylor Swift dished about their recent breakup, which she says came in a 27-second phone call. She also was quoted as saying that he dumped her after meeting actress Camilla Belle.

The revelations have been hot topics on the blogs and have muddied his reputation as a clean-cut, upstanding heartthrob.

So, in a posting on the MySpace.com celebrity blog page Thursday, the singer sought to give his side of the split, though he didn’t mention the 18-year-old country star by name. (It had also been posted to the Jonas Brothers’ own MySpace page but had been removed by Friday afternoon.)

“I never cheated on a girlfriend. It might make someone feel better to assume or imply I have been unfaithful but it is simply not true,” he said.