LOS ANGELES (AP) – Actor Brad Pitt has been hospitalized with a flu-like illness.

Pitt, 41, checked himself into an undisclosed Los Angeles area hospital Monday night complaining of flu-like symptoms, his publicist Cindy Guagenti said Tuesday. There were no other details and the name of the hospital wasn’t disclosed for security reasons.

Pitt was in Ethiopia last week with his “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” co-star Angelina Jolie to pick up the actress’s newly adopted baby girl, the second child she has adopted. Guagenti said it wasn’t known if the actor contracted the illness while in Africa.

“I think he has the flu,” the spokeswoman said.

The “Troy” and “Fight Club” star separated from “Friends” actress Jennifer Aniston in January after 41/2 years of marriage and she filed for divorce in March citing irreconcilable differences.

‘The Simpsons’, ‘Family Guy’ compete

NEW YORK (AP) – “The Simpsons” took a shot at fellow Fox cartoon “Family Guy.” So that series’ creator is taking a shot right back.

Seth MacFarlane said an episode of “The Simpsons” where a Homer Simpson clone was identified as “Family Guy” dad Peter Griffin was “definitely a slam.”

But since the “Family Guy” team dishes out plenty of its own insults, it should be able to take some, MacFarlane told Blender magazine.

“To me, Peter is much more similar to Ralph Kramden than he is to Homer, right down to his voice,” he said, referring to the character from “The Honeymooners.” “That’s what I see. But because “The Simpsons’ and “Family Guy’ are really the only two shows of their kind of television, there’ll be comparisons made.”

MacFarlane said he was definitely influenced by “The Simpsons.”

“I mean, in its prime, it was one of the greatest comedy shows of all time,” he said. “But it’s not the show it was. It can’t be. You can’t do 16 seasons and be consistent.”

Alanis guest stars on teen TV drama

NEW YORK (AP) – Alanis Morissette is being sent to the principal’s office.

The singer-songwriter will guest star as a Canadian principal in The N’s teen drama “Degrassi: The Next Generation” August 26 at 8 p.m. EDT.

Morissette will join filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes in the second part of the high school soap’s three-part season finale. In the story arc, Smith and Mewes are filming a sequel to their 2001 film “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” The fictional film, titled “Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh!” sees the bumbling duo crossing the border to earn a high school diploma because no U.S. high school will accept them.

“The plot of the movie within the show is so funny, it almost makes me want to shoot the flick for real,” Smith said in a statement Monday.

Morissette, who appeared as God in Smith’s 1999 film “Dogma” and became a U.S. citizen this year, will play the Canadian principal who accepts Jay and Silent Bob. This summer, Morissette has been touring in support of an acoustic version of her 1995 album, “Jagged Little Pill.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Although INXS is looking for a new singer, guitarist Tim Farriss says the band isn’t “in any way, shape or form trying to replace Michael Hutchence.”

“What we really want is somebody who brings their own personality along and someone completely different,” Farriss told AP Radio in a recent interview. The band has used guest vocalists since Hutchence died in 1997.

A new reality show to find a lead singer, “Rock Star: INXS,” premiered Monday night on CBS, hosted by Dave Navarro, former guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction, and TV personality Brooke Burke.

Fifteen performers are competing on the show. The last singer standing will make an album with INXS and go on tour with the band, known for their hits “What You Need” and “Need You Tonight.”

What would Hutchence say about the contest?

“I think he’d think it was kind of funny in a good way, ‘cause in some ways it is,” Farriss said. “But in another way, it’s really an organic way to find a new singer. It’s the best way we could think of.”

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On the Net:

http://www.cbs.com/

http://www.inxs.com/

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PARIS (AP) – Prince Albert II of Monaco, who acknowledged last week that he is the father of a child born to a former Air France flight attendant, says others may step forward with paternity claims.

A day before the bachelor prince was to formally accede to the throne, Albert told the French TF1 TV station that he was “extremely shocked” at the way the existence of his nearly 2-year-old son was made known by the press.

Asked if there might be other such cases, Albert said Monday, “I know there are other people who have nearly the same cases.” He refused to elaborate, saying “we will answer when the moment comes.”

French magazine Paris Match has shown photos of the child, his mother, Nicole Coste, and also of Albert feeding his son while Monaco was officially mourning the April death of Prince Rainier.

Albert’s lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, issued a statement last week saying the prince wanted to face up to his responsibilities and acknowledged he was the father of the boy, whose name is Alexandre.

Albert, 47, son of Prince Rainier III and Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly, said Alexandre will “want for nothing,” but the Monaco constitution does not place him in the hereditary line of rulers, so he will never inherit the throne.

The prince said in the TV interview that he remained quiet about his son because “I wanted to protect him.”

“I was extremely shocked by the manner in which this was treated and the totally inopportune moment when it came out,” he said.

Royal powers were automatically conferred on Albert upon the death of his father, who died April 6 at age 81. Albert’s mother was killed in a car crash in 1982.

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HONG KONG (AP) – Hong Kong director Tsui Hark says his new martial arts film, “Seven Swords,” is an attempt to redefine the Chinese kung fu hero by portraying his evolution.

“Many of the characters in our martial arts novels show up as heroes, but the price they paid in their growth, their past, isn’t emphasized as much. My story emphasizes this more,” Tsui said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“I think the heroism in our martial arts novels is derived from a moral, hero standpoint but the heroism has a lot to do with a person’s growth,” he said.

“Seven Swords” is the story of seven kung fu masters in ancient China who try to evade an imperial decree banning the practice of martial arts. The film was shot in the mountains in the remote western Chinese province of Xinjiang.

Tsui is well known for his kung fu films, but his repertoire is broad. Also among his works are animation, comedy and action movies.

He directed “Knock Off” and “Double Team,” both starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

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STATELINE, Nev. (AP) – They dream of striking the ball like Tiger Woods, but they’ll settle for an occasional birdie and some luck at the blackjack tables.

“My No. 1 goal is to win money in the casino,” Charles Barkley said before the 16th annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe. “My No. 2 goal is to not hit anybody.”

The former NBA star is among dozens of athletes and celebrities who will play in the $500,000 tournament that runs Friday through Sunday at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Former NHL player Dan Quinn is the favorite to win his third straight celebrity championship. A 500-to-1 long shot, Barkley finds some comfort that Chris Webber of the Philadelphia 76ers is in the field again.

“Thank God C. Web is going to be there. If I can’t beat C. Web, I really have to give this game up,” Barkley said. “That guy shot 130 (last year) and we gave him like 50 shots.”

Marino, Smith and Jordan are back for another shot at the $100,000 first-place check along with former Vice President Dan Quayle and Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan.

Those making their debut include actors Ray Romano, Brad Garrett, Don Cheadle and Cheryl Ladd, along with ESPN’s Dan Patrick and Danielle Amiee, winner of The Golf Channel’s “Big Break III: Ladies Only.”