Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Saved by the Bell actor Dustin Diamond in court over stabbing



Former Saved by the Bell actor Dustin Diamond has appeared in court in Wisconsin, accused of stabbing a man during a bar brawl on Christmas Day.

The 37-year-old, who played Screech in the 1990s television show, was released from prison after posting $10,000 (£6,400) bail.


He is charged with possession of a switchblade, reckless endangerment and carrying a concealed weapon.


The actor said he was defending his 27-year-old fiancee Amanda Schutz.


Defence lawyer Thomas Alberti requested a reduced bail and a jury trial for Mr Diamond, who did not speak in court.


"Dustin has complete faith in the justice system," Mr Alberti said outside the courtroom, adding his client was "not happy he missed the Packers game".


Mr Alberti said Mr Diamond, who spent the weekend in prison, had "made the best of his time" and caught up on some books.


The fight is said to have happened on 25 December at the Grand Avenue Saloon in Port Washington, while Mr Diamond was with Ms Schutz, who also faces a charge of disorderly conduct.


Crime reports say the pair had been to several bars before they got into a row with two men and another woman.


Mr Diamond, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK in 2013, told police he had a pen in his hand when he grabbed one of the men, while trying to defend his fiancee.


The man was not seriously injured.


Officers found a switchblade knife in Mr Diamond's car and the point of it appeared to be covered in blood.



The actor will next appear in court on 5 January.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Singer Joe Cocker Dead of Cancer






John Robert "Joe" Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English rock and blues singer, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and was known for his gritty voice, his spasmodic body movement in performance and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of the Beatles.
His cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" reached number one in the UK in 1968, and he performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years. His 1975 cover of Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful", reached number five in the US. Cocker is the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one "Up Where We Belong", a duet with Jennifer Warnes. In 1993 he was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown, and in 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.

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