Comedian John Pinette dead at 50
John Pinette, the stand-up comedian who portrayed a hapless carjacking victim in the final episode of Seinfeld, has died. He was 50.
Pinette died of natural causes on Saturday in a Pittsburgh hotel. The portly Pinette was a self-deprecating presence on stage, frequently discussing his weight on stand-up specials Show Me the Buffett, I’m Starvin’! and Still Hungry. Pinette had been working on another stand-up project when he died, his agent, Nick Nuciforo, said. The Boston actor was perhaps best known as the carjacking victim whose plight lands Seinfeld stars before a judge for failing to help under a “good Samaritan” law. Pinette also appeared in the television series Parker Lewis Can’t Lose. The medical examiner’s office said no autopsy was performed and Pinette’s own physician signed off on the cause of death. Pinette had been preparing for a stand-up tour of the US and Canada, Nuciforo said. – AP
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in Bajirao Mastani
The Ram-Leela couple is back. Deepika Padukone will star opposite Ranveer Singh in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s forthcoming drama Bajirao Mastani. The casting puts an end to months of speculation about who would play the lead roles. Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif were also considered. – IANS
Dubai Studio City at MIPTV
Key figures from Dubai Studio City (DSC), Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC) are in Cannes this week, on a mission to emphasise Dubai’s strength as a production hub at MIPTV, the international showcase for TV and digital entertainment, which takes place until April 10. DSC offers state-of-the-art facilities including Sound Stages, which are the largest in the region. Since the inauguration of the Sound Stages in September, MasterChef Arabia, the first Arab MasterChef format with the largest MasterChef set, and The Cube, a leading international game show currently being aired on Dubai TV, have been filmed there. – The National staff
Aloe Blacc tops UK charts
Aloe Blacc topped the British singles chart for the first time this week with his track The Man. John Legend’s All of Me climbed three places to take the No 2 spot, while Duke Dumont’s I Got U featuring Jax Jones was down one in third place. In the album chart, the Kaiser Chiefs went straight in at No 1 with their fifth album Education, Education, Education & War, knocking The X Factor winner Sam Bailey’s The Power of Love into second place. – Reuters
