Eminem considering entering retirement or taking a break

New York – Is Eminem headed for retirement – or just taking a break?

Earlier this month, reports from his hometown of Detroit quoted sources as saying the 32-year-old rapper would play his last concert at Slane Castle in Dublin, Ireland, on Sept. 17, at the end of his “Anger Management” tour.

In a posting on its Web site, MTV quotes Eminem as saying, “I’m not retiring,” and also denying that “Encore” is his last album.

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, says: “When I say I’m taking a break, I’m taking a break from my music to go in the studio and produce my other artists and put their albums out.”

He is also quoted as saying, “When I know my next move, I’ll tell everyone my next move. Not some reporter who writes a story about ‘This is Eminem’s last album.’ I never said (‘Encore’) was my last album.”

Phone messages and e-mails left with the rapper’s publicist by The Associated Press hadn’t been returned Monday.

Eminem has won nine Grammys, including best rap album for “The Slim Shady LP,” “The Marshall Mathers LP” and “The Eminem Show.” He won an Oscar for the song “Lose Yourself” from the 2002 film “8 Mile,” in which he also starred.

‘Law & Order’ star enjoying his lighter workload

Beverly Hills, Calif. – Vincent D’Onofrio, who was hospitalized briefly last year for exhaustion, says he now has “the cushiest job on television.”

D’Onofrio will be splitting the workload on NBC’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” with Chris Noth, who left the original “Law & Order” series 10 years ago. Each actor will appear in 11 episodes.

“I wouldn’t be doing a fifth season if it wasn’t for Dick Wolf stepping in and coming up with a better idea,” D’Onofrio told reporters recently, according to AP Radio.

Wolf is the creator and executive producer of the “Law & Order” crime drama franchise, which also includes “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Kathryn Erbe co-stars with D’Onofrio on “Criminal Intent.”

The 46-year-old actor fainted on the set of the New York-based crime drama in November and was hospitalized. Several days later, he fainted at home. Medical tests revealed exhaustion.

“It was just too much. Kate and I, we work our butts off,” he said. “It’s not digging ditches but …”

With Noth signing on, “Now I have the cushiest job on television. I do,” D’Onofrio said. “Eleven episodes a season. I mean, you can’t beat that.”

D’Onofrio said exhaustion “crept up” on him and put him down “like a rabid dog.”

“I was worried. My family was worried. My kids worried. And my exes were worried. Everybody was worried. And the doctors were worried. There were four neurologists and heart guys, specialists at NYU, New York University, that’s where I was, at the hospital there.”

Noth will again play Detective Mike Logan, his character from “Law & Order.” His partner will be played by Annabella Sciorra.

Annan to Trump: If you can do better, prove it

United Nations – Donald Trump should bid on a United Nations renovation contract if he thinks he can do the job cheaper and better than anyone else, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.

Trump told a U.S. Senate hearing last week that the United Nations would commit a boondoggle of immense proportions if it goes ahead with its plan to renovate the outdated United Nations secretariat, a project it says will cost about $1 billion.

The real estate developer predicted that if the U.N. continues with its proposal, the cost will balloon to $3 billion. And he argued that he could do the job for $700 million.

“If that’s the case I’m sure he will get the contract and so I would encourage him to bid,” Annan said Monday.

U.N. officials, who say their plan for the renovation is sound, have expressed skepticism at Trump’s claims.

Christopher Burnham, a former Department of State official recently appointed to oversee the building project as the U.N.’s undersecretary-general for management, told the same Senate hearing the United Nations would run “a lean, mean operation.”

The 38-story U.N. headquarters is dangerously out of date. It has no sprinkler system, is packed with asbestos, and loses about 25 percent of the heat pumped into it in the winter.

Megadeth lead singer suing former band member

Los Angeles – The lead singer of Megadeth has sued the band’s former bass player for allegedly using the name of the group without permission in an ad for musical equipment.

David Mustaine claims in the lawsuit filed Monday in Superior Court that he and David Ellefson entered into a settlement agreement in February that restricts the guitarist’s use of the band name.

“Ellefson shall not use, or authorize anyone else to use, the work or mark ‘Megadeth” to advertise, market or promote any person, band, company, organization, product or services without Megadeth’s prior express written permission,” according to the lawsuit.

Mustaine said an ad in this month’s issue of Bass Player features Ellefson holding a pedal tuner for bass guitars and includes the names of several bands he is involved with – including Megadeth.

Mustaine is seeking unspecified compensatory, punitive and exemplary damages.

Megadeth was founded in 1983 and released a greatest hits album, “Back to the Start,” last month. Ellefson appeared on albums from 1985 to 2002 until he got into a disagreement with Mustaine and refused to rejoin the band last year.