Actress Amanda Bynes appeared disheveled in a long blond wig and sweats Friday in a criminal court where she was charged with reckless endangerment after police said she heaved a marijuana bong out of her Manhattan apartment building.Cuba Gooding Jr. met Wednesday with New Orleans police and was issued a court summons after a Bourbon Street bartender told authorities that the actor pushed her.
On Tuesday, police issued an arrest warrant on a misdemeanor charge of municipal battery for Gooding.
“Mr. Gooding, his representative and the New Orleans authorities met this morning (Wednesday) and are moving swiftly to resolve this misunderstanding,” Nancy Kane, Gooding’s publicist, told The Associated Press.
New Orleans police spokeswoman Remi Braden said the arrest warrant was lifted after the summons was issued.
Managers at the restaurant said in a statement to The Associated Press that the bartender does not plan to pursue criminal charges.
New academy chief
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has elected producer Hawk Koch as its new president.
The group’s board of governors elected Koch to its top office Tuesday for a one-year term. He has represented the academy’s producers’ branch as a governor for nine years.
Koch’s credits include “Losing Isaiah,” “Gorky Park” and “Source Code.” He succeeds film executive Tom Sherak, who served three consecutive terms as president.
Couric sings
Katie Couric is no brown-eyed girl, but she can hold her own singing backup for Jimmy Buffett.
The ABC newswoman and TV personality joined Buffett on stage for several songs Tuesday during a concert in Noblesville.
Couric told WRTV-TV in Indianapolis that she thought it would be a fun, visual “little fling.”
Portraits unveiled
Will Ferrell, Jack Black and Jason Segel are hitchhiking ghosts and Russell Brand is Captain Hook in two new portraits by Annie Leibovitz.
Disney Parks unveiled the images Wednesday as part of the Disney Dream Portrait series it commissioned featuring celebrities posing as Disney characters for the famed photographer.
The images will appear in fall issues of national magazines.
Happy birthday
Among celebrity birthdays today: Actor Peter O’Toole is 80. Director Wes Craven is 73. Singer Kathy Lennon is 69. Actor Max Wright is 69. Singer Mojo Nixon is 55. Actress Mary-Louise Parker is 48. Director-actor Kevin Smith is 42. Actor Sam Worthington is 36.
