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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, June 27, 2009

Coolio sent to drug rehab in plea deal


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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Coolio

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Evan Rachel Wood

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Rapper Coolio has pleaded guilty in Los Angeles to felony cocaine possession in a deal that requires him to spend 18 months in rehab.

The district attorney's office says the 45-year-old rapper, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey, entered his plea yesterday in court.

Coolio was arrested March 6 at Los Angeles International Airport. He allegedly grabbed a screener's arm to prevent a search of his luggage.

As part of the plea deal, misdemeanor charges of battery and possession of a smoking device were dismissed.

Coolio can request that the judge dismiss his case if he completes the 18-month drug rehab program. He's due back in court Sept. 28 for a report on his progress.

HOLLYWOOD WILL SALUTE ED MCMAHON

Ed McMahon's publicist says a celebration of the late "Tonight" show sidekick, who died Tuesday at age 86, is set for July 1.

Publicist Howard Bragman said yesterday that NBC will host the untelevised event, at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood.

Bragman says details are still being finalized, including the guest list.

McMahon died early Tuesday at the UCLA medical center. Bragman says McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months."

McMahon played second banana to longtime host Johnny Carson on NBC's "Tonight" show from 1962 until Carson retired in 1992. He also was an ad pitchman and TV show emcee.

'SPIDER-MAN' MUSICAL CASTS 2 MORE ROLES

Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming have joined the cast of "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark," the upcoming Broadway musical about the famous web-slinger.

Wood will portray Peter Parker's girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, and Cumming takes on the role of Norman Osborn, the villainous Green Goblin.

The musical — directed by Julie Taymor ("The Lion King") and featuring a score by Bono and The Edge of U2 — begins preview performances Feb. 25 at the Hilton Theatre.

An opening date will be announced later — as will the actor who will play Spider-Man.

OSCAR WILL SNUB ANY SHODDY SONG YEAR

No Academy Award will be presented for best song at next year's ceremony if none of the tunes is considered good enough, Oscar organizers said yesterday.

Rules for the 82nd Oscar show in March will require that for the award to be issued at least one song must achieve a minimum score of 8.25 on a scale of 6 to 10 in voting by members of the academy's music branch.

In another significant change, the academy is moving its honorary Oscars out of the Academy Awards ceremony itself and presenting them at a separate event.

Those two changes come days after the academy made its most drastic Oscar change in decades, doubling the number of best-picture nominees from five to 10.