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Asian gay rights activists have blasted a Hong Kong-based satellite TV network for its coverage of the 2009 Academy Awards - after the words "gay" and "lesbian" were censored from the broadcast.
Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black gave an impassioned speech on equal rights for homosexuals as he collected his trophy at the Hollywood event on Sunday (22Feb09).
Black, who penned the screenplay for Gus Van Sant’s biopic of San Francisco, California’s first elected gay politician Harvey Milk, was prompted to deliver the speech after anti-gay protesters took to the streets outside the Kodak Theatre to demonstrate against the film.
Viewers who watched the ceremony via recorded telecasts on Asian satellite channel STAR were aware that the sound was removed from the footage each time Black and Milk’s Best Actor Oscar winner Sean Penn mentioned homosexuals.
Now, bosses at the TV station - which is owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch - has been forced to apologise to viewers after leading equal rights advocates complained that it "sent a message that gays and lesbians are still shameful things to be".
Jannie Poon, STAR’s Hong Kong-based spokeswoman insists the broadcaster didn’t intend to offend any viewers, but that the channel’s executives felt "a responsibility to take the sensitivities and guidelines of all our markets into consideration".

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Award-winning magazine editor NONNIE MOORE has died after suffering complications following a choking accident. She was 87.
Moore, born Marjorie Eilers, is credited with helping to launch the careers of famed fashion designers and modernising fashion magazines. She died in Manhattan, New York on Thursday (19Feb09).
A fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and Mademoiselle - where she began her career working as a secretary - Moore nurtured budding designers, including Perry Ellis and Issey Miyake.
In 1984, Moore became fashion director at men’s magazine GQ, in what seemed like an unusual move - only to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for her accomplishments a decade later.
Current GQ Creative Director Jim Moore says, "She was not from menâ��s wear, so people said she was an odd choice, but she was actually the perfect choice… the pages had been filled with a more casual look.â�� Further details about the fateful incident were unavailable as WENN went to press.
Moore is survived by two sons, Thomas and Peter, her sister, Dossie Thayer and two grandchildren. Her husband of 38 years, Thomas L. Moore, died in 1990.

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Reality TV star KIM KARDASHIAN has issued an apology for posting "insensitive" pictures of her family posing with their new pet chimpanzee in the same week an American woman was brutally mauled by a crazed ape.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star posed with her mother, Kris, sisters Khloe and Kourtney, and three-year-old chimp Suzy for the snap, which was posted on her website on Friday (20Feb09).
The siblings rented the ape for a week as a prank on their mum, but their laughs were short lived when critics lashed out at Kim, who posted the snaps days after a 14-year-old, 200-pound (90.91 kilogramme) chimp left 55-year-old Connecticut woman Charla Nash near dead on 16 February (09) following its escape from the home where he had been raised since infancy.
Kardashian says, "I understand my timing was not appropriate and it was insensitive of me. What happened to the woman that was attacked by the chimpanzee was devastating. In no way did I mean to insult or offend anyone by posting these pictures." Nash remains in critical but stable condition in a Cleveland, Ohio clinic.
The incident prompted Washington lawmakers to pass a bill on Tuesday (24Feb09) banning the sale of chimps, gorillas, monkeys and orangutans across state lines.

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Fashion mogul TOMMY HILFIGER is to be a dad for the fifth time, two months after wedding second wife DEE OCLEPPO, according to U.S. reports.
Hilfiger, who has four children from a previous marriage, wed his girlfriend of three years in a private wedding ceremony in December (08).
And according to the New York Post, Ocleppo "is three months pregnant" with the couple’s first child.
Hilfiger, 57, proposed in February (08). The couple had planned to wed in August, but postponed the nuptials.
The designer’s marriage to Susie Hilfiger ended in 2005.
Ocleppo also has two children from a previous relationship.

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Actor JEREMY PIVEN will face a union grievance committee on Thursday (26Feb09) to defend himself against theatre bosses’ complaints over his sudden departure from DAVID MAMET play SPEED-THE-PLOW.
Piven’s Broadway debut was cut short after the actor fell ill late last year (08), forcing him to bow out of the play.
He claimed high levels of mercury in his bloodstream, brought on by eating copious amounts of sushi, was the cause of his departure.
The producers of the show - who replaced Piven with William H. Macy in January (09) - filed a complaint with Actors’ Equity, the union which represents theatre actors, sparking an investigation over his withdrawal.
Producers argue his abrupt departure in December from the $3.5 million (£2.4 million) production jeopardised show earnings.
Piven is scheduled to go before the union’s grievance committee, composed of five actors and five producers, on Thursday.
The actor agreed to take a blood test administered by a doctor hired by Speed-the-Plow producers in January (09) to check his claims, which have been mocked by Mamet. The results of the test have not yet been revealed.
An insider involved in the proceedings tells the New York Post, "It’s my understanding that he’ll be there - unless he has too much sushi on the plane from L.A." Piven faces a financial settlement with producers if the grievance committee rules against him.
If he refuses to abide by the committee’s decision, he can be expelled from the union. Producers will then be allowed to pursue the case in civil court.

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Late actress/singer EARTHA KITT’s former publicist has lashed out at Oscar producers for omitting her from a segment paying tribute to stars who had passed away over the past year.
Kitt died on Christmas Day (25Dec08) after losing her battle with colon cancer, aged 81.
Best-known for her role as Catwoman in the original 1960s Batman TV show, the Santa Baby singer also co-starred in movies with Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sidney Poitier.
And the Emmy winner’s former publicist, Andrew Freedman, is outraged her glittering career was overlooked during Sunday’s (22Feb09) telecast.
He tells the New York Post, "The producers are either 12 or have been living under a rock for the past 60 years. It’s clear that they thought that publicist Warren Cowan was more of a household name. Go figure." The Academy Award’s In Memoriam segment featured Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Sydney Pollack and dozens of stars who passed away in 2008.

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ISLA FISHER was so terrified about starring in CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, she’d wake up in the middle of the night worrying about filming.
The 33-year-old took on her first leading role in the big screen adaptation of Sophie Kinsella’s books about Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist who struggles to keep her shopping addiction under control.
The responsibility was a lot for the petite actress to shoulder - and she found herself waking at the crack of dawn to mentally prepare for a day on-set.
She tells Moviehole.net, "(I would wake up) between 4.30 and 5.30.
"I’d never been the lead in a movie before, obviously there’s the fear that goes along with being responsible for the tone of the film, then there’s the actual physical endurance side, and that was sort of like running a marathon."

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RIHANNA will face her ex-boyfriend CHRIS BROWN in court when his criminal threats case goes to trial, according to U.S. reports.
The R&B singer was arrested and charged following an alleged attack on the Umbrella hitmaker after a pre-Grammys party on 8 February (09).
The pair has both gone into hiding since the incident, with Rihanna only surfacing in public en-route to her 21st birthday celebrations in Hollywood last week (ends20Feb09).
Rihanna and Brown have released separate statements via their representatives, but both have refused to comment on the alleged fight at the request of authorities investigating the case.
But the Bajan beauty - whose injuries were shown in a leaked photo to TMZ.com - will have to take to the stand once Brown faces the charges in court on 5 March (09), according to the New York Daily News.
A source tells the publication, "She’ll be there - she has to testify."

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Embattled R&B star CHRIS BROWN has reportedly enrolled in anger-management classes in a bid to try and control his temper after he was arrested for allegedly beating girlfriend RIHANNA.
Brown’s career has taken a nosedive since he was charged with making criminal threats following the alleged attack on the Umbrella singer on 8 February (09).
He has been dropped from ad campaigns for Wrigleys and America’s Got Milk? promotion, while his music has been removed from several radio stations’ playlists.
The furore surrounding the incident has only heightened since a photo of what appears to be a badly bruised Rihanna was leaked to celebrity website TMZ.com last week (ends 20Feb09).
Now, Brown’s representatives have advised the singer to take anger-management lessons in a bid to salvage his damaged public image, according to the New York Daily News.
The publication reports the singer attended his first class on Monday (23Feb09) in California in preparation for his court date on 5 March (09).
A source tells the publication, "Chris doesn’t actually have to go by law, but he believes it will make him look better to the public, and he wants to try to get in a few classes before March 5."

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SHERYL CROW and BLACK EYED PEAS star WILL.I.AM have joined calls for musicians to be paid radioplay royalties - even if they didn’t write the songs themselves.
Broadcasting regulations currently dictate that - unlike in television - AM and FM radio chiefs must only pay royalties to songwriters, not performers.
It means artists who record versions of other acts’ songs which feature heavily on radio stations’ playlists receive no extra money.
But a host of stars including Dionne Warwick and veteran jazz pianist Herbie Hancock are demanding a change in the rules, insisting their work should be paid for despite not personally penning the track.
Hancock says, "People deserve to be paid when somebody else uses their property." Officials at the National Association of Broadcasters, who are fighting the move, claim more royalty fees would put thousands of radio jobs at risk.

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Hollywood icon MERYL STREEP made sure she didn’t stuff up her acting dreams - by padding out her bra in a bid to land roles.
The double Oscar-winner admits playing the sexy card to catch the eye of casting directors - boosting her assets to increase her chance of film offers.
And her efforts didn’t go unnoticed - her fake curves persuaded late movie maker Sydney Pollack to cast her in critically acclaimed Out of Africa.
She explains, "I have cheated to get a part. The first time I was on Broadway years ago. Before the audition I filled my 32DD bra cups with paper towels.
"I got the part! I did it again to Sydney Pollack for Out of Africa. I’d heard he didn’t think I was sexy enough so I filled them up again."

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JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT is using music to get over her split from fiance ROSS MCCALL - insisting she finds comfort in emotional rocker ALANIS MORISSETTE’s records.
The Ghost Whisperer actress got engaged to McCall in November 2007 after two years of dating, but broke off the relationship last December (08).
And despite McCall recently telling reporters the pair were "working it out", Hewitt is adamant the romance is finished - and has discovered useful tactics to try and move on.
She says, "I’m just taking things one day at a time. Lots of chocolate and Alanis (Morissette) is helping too.
"Everybody has to get through it in their own way. I choose to believe that some people are just not right for you, and there’s somebody else who will be."

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LINDSAY LOHAN and LILY ALLEN are considering recording a track together, according to reports.
The Mean Girls star, who is dating DJ Samantha Ronson, has enjoyed limited musical success and has released two solo albums.
Allen is a family friend of the Ronson clan, having worked with Samantha’s brother Mark on her 2006 debut Alright, Still.
And now she is set to work on a track with Lohan, according to British newspaper The Sun.
A source tells the publication, �They have been getting on really well and they�re planning a summer escape, along with Lindsay�s girlfriend Samantha Ronson.
�They�ve discussed the Bahamas, and are also planning a trip to the Coachella Music Festival in April to see Amy Winehouse perform.
�They�ve discussed making a record together, possibly at a pre-arranged studio, while they�re away on holiday.�

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Country star REBA MCENTIRE will join the man who discovered her to help raise funds for a sick high school wrestling coach.
The singer and her mentor Red Steagall will perform a concert together in Illinois on 21 March (09) and all the proceeds will benefit the Teachers, Coaches and Students Foundation, which was created by former students of Coach Richard Carlini to pay for his medical expenses.
The Des Plaines, Illinois coach suffers from AVM (arteriovenous malformation).
Steagall, a friend of Carlini, discovered McEntire when she performed the national anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in 1974.

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Music mogul SIMON COWELL has laughed off reports he wants his body frozen after his death - insisting he was just joking.
The reality TV judge told guests at a private dinner hosted by Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier this year (09) that he planned to have his body preserved in liquid nitrogen - in the hope scientists can find a way to bring him back to life.
He was quoted as saying, "I have decided to freeze myself when I die. You know, cryonics. You pay a lot of money and you get stuck in a deep freeze once you�ve been declared dead.
"Medical science is bound to work out a way of bringing us back to life in the next century or so, and I want to be available when they do. I would be doing the nation an invaluable service." But a spokesperson for Cowell says the claims were exaggerated and never meant to be taken seriously.

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British rockers MYSTERY JETS were stunned with the reception they received in Mexico - after fans mobbed their first ever live gig in Latin America.
The group jetted to the capital Mexico City to play their debut shows in the country last week (ends20Feb09), fulfilling dates they were forced to cancel last year (08).
But the band didn’t anticipate the size of their Mexican fanbase - with revellers starting a mini-riot in a bid to hear the musicians’ set.
Frontman Blaine Harrison tells NME.com, "We didn’t know what to expect because none of us had ever been there.
"But we had a really good turn out for our shows. We also played a live radio station gig in Mexico City that turned into a bit of a riot.
"People had scanned our photos from the internet and put them on their T-shirts. They’re quite obsessive down there." And Harrison was further stunned when the rockers were chosen to headline the country’s MX Beat Festival - ahead of cult singer Cat Power.
He adds, "We turned up and it turned out we were headlining above Cat Power!.
"We freaked out and we were like, wooh, there are too many people. But people knew all the lyrics, and they’ve invited us back to do two more festivals in Mexico in mid-March."

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Media magnate RUPERT MURDOCH has apologised to readers of his New York newspaper, after singer JOHN LEGEND criticised editors for running a controversial cartoon featuring the shooting of a chimp.
The R&B star called for a boycott of the New York Post last week (beg16Feb09) following the publication of a sketch of two police officers standing over the body of a chimpanzee they just shot, with one remarking, ‘They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.’ The drawing was a reference to a recent news story about a woman who was mauled by a pet chimpanzee, which was subsequently shot by cops.
But the cartoon came under fire, with many claiming it was a thinly-veiled mockery of new President Barack Obama, because of the link to the recent stimulus legislation, designed to prop up the U.S. economy.
Legend was appalled, and wrote an open letter to the newspaper, stating, "I’m personally boycotting your paper and won’t do any interviews with any of your reporters, and I encourage all of my colleagues in the entertainment business to do so as well." But now Murdoch, the chairman of the Post’s owners News Corporation, has issued a personal apology to his readers, insisting the company had not intended to offend readers.
In a statement to CNN.com, he writes, "Today I want to personally apologise to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted. I can assure you - without a doubt - that the only intent of that cartoon was to mock a badly written piece of legislation.
"It was not meant to be racist, but unfortunately, it was interpreted by many as such. We all hold the readers of the New York Post in high regard, and I promise you that we will seek to be more attuned to the sensitivities of our community."

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Rapper EMINEM’s battle for a bigger share of the royalties from digital downloads will be thrashed out in a courtroom this week (begs23Feb09).
The Stan hitmaker launched a case against Universal Music Group two years ago in a bid to increase his cut from the sale of his music online through sites such as iTunes.
The landmark case could open the door for other musicians to claim thousands of dollars in additional royalties.
It hinges on whether record company deals with digital download websites come under the remit of distribution or licensing.
If a jury hearing the case rules the agreement constitutes a licensing deal, the royalties will be split 50/50 between the artist and the record company, giving Eminem a vastly increased share.
The rapper’s publishing company, F.B.T. Productions, is seeking $1.3 million (£900,000) in unpaid royalties for Eminem tracks.
Entertainment lawyer Jay Cooper tells Rolling Stone, �This is very significant case. A lot of people are going to be watching very closely because there�s a lot of money involved."

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