Oprah signs contract; U2 kicks off fall tour

Film

It looks like Oprah Winfrey will be on TV for a few years longer. Despite recent rumors that the queen of all media would leave her show to pursue even more lucrative endeavors, Winfrey recently extended her contract with King World Productions to run through the 1999-2000 television season, according to Entertainment Weekly. Already the wealthiest female entertainer in the country, Winfrey will be paid some $130 million up front.

Maybe it's time to forget R&B albums and guest stints on "Beverly Hills 90210." Superstar record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and his wife Tracey E. Edmonds have found a new - and perhaps more profitable - calling as film producers. "Soul Food," the first film to come from Edmonds Entertainment, racked up big numbers this past weekend thanks to some of the most positive word-of-mouth praise in years. The poignant movie about a Chicago family's tradition of Sunday dinner gatherings finished the weekend in second place, taking in more than $11 million.

The recently christened Mr. Freeze and his real-life bride have had another child. Action movie king Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, NBC News reporter and Kennedy cousin Maria Shriver, became proud parents again on Saturday when Shriver gave birth to an as-yet-unnamed baby boy. The 9 1/2-pound infant makes child No. 4 for the couple, who now have two boys and two girls. No word yet on when mom will return to work, although her publicist insists that everyone is happy and well.

After delving into the Civil War and America's pastime, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns is turning his attention to the creator of "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." His next project, according to Associated Press reports, will explore the many mysteries surrounding American writer Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain). The short film about the legendary author of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and many other works is expected to be shown on PBS in 2001.

Music

Fresh off its triumphant gig in Sarajevo, U2 will return to North America on Oct. 26 for a concert in Toronto, followed by a Halloween date at the Pontiac Silverdome (lead singer Bono is pictured below). Unfor-tunately, the group inexplicably keeps getting terrible opening bands; Fun Loving Criminals opened numerous summer shows, and now the double whammy of crap, Third Eye Blind and Smash Mouth, will handle the fall tour duties.

Despite the fact that they can't get visas yet to do an extensive 40-city tour of the United States, the members of Oasis will come to New York this weekend for a "Saturday Night Live" gig. For the first time in the show's history, the musical artist was booked before the host, who in this case is Matthew Perry. Oasis will also play two concerts at the Hammer-stein Ballroom on Oct. 7-8, and make a "Letterman" appearance on Oct. 9.

According to Addicted to Noise, this summer's Lilith Fair was the higest-grossing festival tour this summer. Following in Sarah McLachlan's wake were the OzzFest, Lollapalooza (which saw attendance figures of only 67 percent of capacity, a far cry from past levels) and H.O.R.D.E. Jewel defeats Ozzy and Neil Young ? What's the world coming to?

ATN also reports that Sean "Puffy" Combs plans a U.S. tour this fall. Expect to see a nearly two-hour concert during which no instruments will be played, classic songs by Diana Ross and The Police will be ripped off, and Puff Daddy will dance around while sporting stylin' sunglasses. Where are The Roots when you need them most?

- Compiled by Daily Film Editor Joshua Rich and Daily Music Editor Aaron Rennie. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

10-02-97

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