BC-PEOPLE:MI – national (1080 words)

People in the news

(EDITORS: Archive photos for many of the celebrities mentioned in the PEOPLE column are available on KRT Direct.)

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

ROCKET MAN’S TAIWAN TIRADE

One of the photographers shouted, “Why don’t you get out of Taiwan?”

John fired back, “We’d love to get out of Taiwan if it’s full of people like you. Pig! Pig!”

The Rocket Man and Crocodile Rock singer, who recently performed in Shanghai and Hong Kong, said, “We had a great tour of the Far East and then we come to Taiwan and (expletive).”

At his concert, he told fans that the photographers at the airport were the rudest people he’d ever met during his travels around the world. He said he meant every word he said to them.

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SIR PAUL: GIVE GEESE A CHANCE

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NO SECOND BANANA

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EXTRA SWEET AUCTION

A chance to see and be seen with Leonardo DiCaprio in Los Angeles. Or eat clam chowder with Ben Affleck in Boston. Or dine with Ricky Martin in Miami. These aren’t necessarily fantasies for those with deep, charitable pockets.

These celebs – as well as Sarah Jessica Parker and Benjamin Bratt – will auction dinner in their company for charities they have chosen individually. The bidding, which began Thursday, concludes Oct. 3. It’s being held on a Web site run by eBay, accessible through Godiva.com, the sponsor of the fund-raiser.

The winning bidder can bring seven friends to the dinner, each of which will be created by a well-known chef and topped off by a new truffle from Godiva. For the hosting celebrities, the pressure to entertain their guests is clear.

“I’ll bring my clown makeup and do some juggling or something,” Martin told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday.

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FROM BIG SCREEN TO THE MUSIC SCENE

Robert Downey Jr. often shows off his vocal talents in his movies. And it’s paid off: He’s signed an exclusive recording contract with the Sony Classical label, reports The Associated Press.

“Robert is a brilliantly gifted songwriter who writes lyrics that are wise and moving,” Sony Classical President Peter Gelb said in a statement. “His burnished, smoky voice is an expressive and touching medium for the songs that he has written.”

Downey’s debut CD, not yet titled, will include two covers – “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin and “Your Move” by Yes – and eight pop ballads written, sung and played on the piano by the actor. It will be released Nov. 23.

Downey, 39, has written songs for three of his films (“Too Much Sun,” “Two Girls and a Guy” and “Friends & Lovers”) and sang during his 2000 stint on the TV show “Ally McBeal.”

He was an Oscar nominee for 1992’s “Chaplin.”

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FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAYS:

ABC sportscaster Jim McKay is 83. Actor Gordon Clapp (“NYPD Blue”) is 56. Actor Kevin Sorbo is 46. Actress Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) is 42. Actress Megan Ward is 35. Actor Kyle Sullivan is 16.

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(Compiled by Michael Hamersly from staff and wire reports.)

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(c) 2004, The Miami Herald.

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AP-NY-09-23-04 1747EDT