Pat Sajak Admits to Hosting Wheel of Fortune Drunk

Vanna White and Pat Sajak Can we buy a vowel ... err a shot of vodka? Longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak says he used to host the popular game show drunk. "When I first started and was much younger and could tolerate those things," Sajak tells Dan Le Batard of "Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable." "We had a different show then." Watch videos of Pat Sajak The 65-year-old, who has hosted Wheel of Fortune since 1981, says he and right-hand woman Vanna White used to go to a local Mexican restaurant in Burbank during their two-and-a-half hour dinner breaks. That break gave the duo more than enough time to knock a couple margaritas back before the night tapings. "Vanna and I would go across and have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet. They're really great tapes to get a hold of," Sajak said. "I had a great time. I have no idea if the shows were any good, but no one said anything, so I guess I did OK." Unfortunately, margaritas - or any sort of alcohol for that matter - no longer play a part in Sajak's hosting routine. "I would be hesitant to have anything to drink now," he said. What a _arty _oo_er. Watch Sajak's interview here:

Elle Driver reserves '28 Hotel Rooms'

Elle Driver, the Paris-based sales and purchases company brokering worldwide rights for Sundance game game titles "Bachelorette" and "Youthful & Wild," has closed a deal to repetition worldwide sales for "28 Resort Rooms.InchNorthern American rights it's still handled by Preferred Content.Pic premieres this mid-day in Sundance's NEXT section. Chris Messina and Marin Ireland star inside the intimate infidelity drama that marks Ross' debut feature."I had been immediately attracted for the originality in the story and Matt Ross's vision of the extremely unique relationship," mentioned Elle Driver controlling director Adeline Fontan Tessaur. "This intimate close-up captures a few inside their most authentic, private moments -- it creates an immediate identification with and tenderness for your figures."Some-year-old Elle Driver is representing worldwide sales on two other Sundance films, the premiering "Bachelorette," Leslye Headland's wedding comedy starring Kirsten Dunst and Marialy Rivas's "Youthful & Wild" in the world cinema dramatic competition."Rooms In HotelsInch producer Lynette Howell ("Half Nelson," "Blue Valentine") mentioned Elle Driver "posseses an outstanding status to get arthouse fare to have an worldwide audience, to ensure that as evidenced formerly few years, here we are has converted into a place to discover unique voices that translate in america marketplace and abroad." Howell and Elle Driver were paired a year ago at Sundance round the Elizabeth Olsen-starrer "Quiet House.""Rooms In HotelsInch can be a Silverwood Films presentation from the ONEZERO Films production in colaboration with Sundial Pictures and Mott Street Pictures. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Etta James dies at 73

Tempestuous R&B diva Etta James, whose hits from the '50s and '60s incorporated the evergreen "Finally,Inch has died. She was 73. CNN reported Friday the singer gave in to leukemia in a hospital in Riverside, Calif.James, who drenched an expert career in excess of fifty years, would be a gale-pressure singer and also the top female hitmaker at Chicago indie Chess Records. While her career was frequently pushed off track by drug and health issues, the 1993 Rock 'n roll Hall of Fame inductee recorded and together with viably in to the new millennium.Born Jamesetta Hawkins in La for an unwed 14-year-old mother (and, James stated frequently, pool hustler Minnesota Fats), she was raised singing in L.A. places of worship.Like a teen in Bay Area, she created a lady doo-wop group, the Peaches (whose moniker begat James' nickname). The trio is discovered by R&B bandleader Johnny Otis, who required them into an L.A. studio to record "The Wallflower," also known as "Dance Beside Me Henry," a solution song to Hank Ballard & the Midnighters' lubricious 1954 hit "Use Me Annie." The tune rose to No. 1 across the country.Following a couple of many years of not successful solo work on Modern Records, James' contract was bought by Chess, where she started a detailed personal and professional relationship with Harvey Fuqua, leader from the Moonglows along with a top cleffer along with a&R guy in the label.She walked in 1960 using the No. 2 ballad "All I Possibly Could Do Was Cry," and her effective quicksilver voice was heard to get affordable advantage on such duets with Fuqua as "Basically Can't Perhaps You HaveInch (No. 6, 1960).Fuqua also urged her to chop standards, resulting in the lush, string-laden No. 2 1961 version from the 1941 Harry Warren-Mack Gordon composition "Finally,Inch that has maintained long lasting recognition because of commercial and movie soundtrack use.James' other hits from the early '60s incorporated the growling "Something's Got a Hang On Me" (No. 4, 1962), "Stop the marriageInch (No. 6, 1962), "Pushover" (No. 7, 1963) and "Loving You More Every Single DayInch (No. 7, 1964). Although it worked out no much better than No. 37 across the country, "Within the Basement," her raucous 1966 duet with friend and label mate Sugarpie DeSanto, later grew to become a cult R&B item.Chess lit a restored fire under James' career in 1967, once the label sent her to Ron Hall's hot studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala.,, for periods. The date created the up-tempo soul scorcher "Tell Mama" (No. 10 around the R&B chart that year), a version of Otis Redding's "Security" (No. 11, 1968) and also the memorable ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind."Following the 1969 purchase of Chess to GRT and Leonard Chess' subsequent dying, James' career started to falter, though such memorable tracks as her covers of David Houston's country hit "Almost Convinced," the Falcons' "I Discovered an appreciationInch and Randy Newman's perverse "You Are Able To Leave Your Hat On" crawled the foot of the R&B charts. She faithfully remained on in the label before the late '70s.In 1975, Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler, an open admirer, created a Chess session for James. Wexler later helmed two much respected albums for that singer, "Deep within the Evening" (1978) and "The Best Time" (1992).Her final R&B hit arrived 1978: a Wexler-created cover of "Bit of My Heart," made popular in 1967 by Your Government & the Holding Co.'s singer Janis Joplin, whose vocal attack owed an abiding debt to James.James maintained her career throughout the '70s as her personal existence fell into disarray. Busted in 1973 for heroin possession together with her husband, Artis Mills (who had been charged and offered amount of time in prison), she spent 17 several weeks in the court-purchased rehab at Tarzana Psychological Hospital. (Though she effectively started heroin, she was put in the hospital again in the Betty Ford Center within the 1980s for dependence on prescription pain relievers.)After brief associations with Warner Bros., Island, and Asylum, James experienced work renewal within the 1990's at indie Private Music. Her 1993 Billie Holiday recital "Mystery Lady" gained her the very first of three Grammy Honours within the best jazz vocal category. She won another Grammy, for contemporary blues album, using the Private release "Let us Roll" in 2004 after segueing to RCA, she won the standard blues album Grammy in 2005 for "Blues towards the Bone." She received a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2003.James released her candid and unsparing autobiography "A Rage to outlive,Inch co-written by David Ritz, in 1998. In 2008, she was described by Beyonce Knowles within the grotesquely fictionalized feature "Cadillac Records" James required a significantly-reported swipe at Knowles following the youthful singer carried out "FinallyInch at Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration.She released her last album, "The Dreamer," on Verve Forecast this year. Universal's Stylish-O Choose catalog unit launched an extensive anthology, "Life blood," late that year.Health issues would plague James in the future. She made an appearance on stage inside a motorized wheel chair until gastric bypass surgery in 2003 reduced her excessive weight. She was put in the hospital at the begining of 2010 for any serious infection in those days, her boy Donto James told the press she was struggling with Alzheimer's.She's made it by her husband, Artis, and 2 sons. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Kiefer Sutherland Reveals 24 Movie To Shoot This Spring

First Published: January 8, 2012 2:15 PM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption David Mazouz and Kiefer Sutherland take questions during the Touch panel during the FOX Broadcasting Company portion of the 2012 Winter TCA Tour at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa, Pasadena, on January 8, 2012LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Kiefer Sutherlands new FOX drama, Touch is on its way later this month, but it wont keep the actor from making the 24 movie, set to begin production shortly. The status on the movie hopefully we will be shooting at the end of April, beginning of May, the actor said on Sunday the FOX portion of the Television Critics Association Winter Session in Pasadena. Touch, from Heroes boss Tim Kring, stars Kiefer as a single father, Martin Bohm, who has an 11-year-old, emotionally challenged son, Jake (David Mazouz), who cant communicate through normal methods, but has a unique connection with the world. Kiefer said he wasnt planning to head back to television so soon, but the role of playing a father trying to communicate with his unique son in this drama with a twist, was too had to pass up. The commitment to a television show, in the case of 24, was eight years, so if youre gonna do something potentially for another eight years, you want it to be something that you can really sink your teeth in, thats gonna be different and interesting for this next period of time, he said. Even though this series offers many opportunities to play a different character, the real choice to do this was not because I wanted to get away from 24. The reason why I could not turn this down was because it spoke to me on a really profound level. Kiefer said he was emotionally affected by his first reading of the script, and it was his second read of the project that brought him on board. Since signing on, Kiefer said conversations with his boss, Tim Kring, have left him more committed to the project. He had kind of talked about Touch and said, You know, at some point you start to realize you have to be responsible for what youre gonna say, Kiefer recounted. And if there was anything I wanted to be a part of saying, it was kind of the beautiful idea of interconnectivity and the responsibility that we have to each other as people, as a race, and to this planet. And so for all of those reasons, thats why I chose to do the show. A preview of Touch airs on Wednesday, January 25 at 9/8c on FOX. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Lionsgate, Summit inch closer to merger

Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate may be getting closer to a walk down the aisle. Though merger talks could take several more weeks to conclude, the minimajors have been negotiating exclusively with each other in recent days, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. But several sources cautioned that there is still no certainty that an agreement will be reached, given the complexity of the transaction under discussion. The question of leadership has been a key point in the talks. It's understood that if the Lionsgate-Summit deal is consummated, Summit toppers Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger would remain in top-level positions within the merged entity. The companies had no comment Saturday. Miramax owner Colony Capital also had been in talks with Summit in recent weeks. Reps for Colony also had no comment Saturday, as word spread that Lionsgate was closing in on a deal. People familiar with the situation have indicated the bids for Summit are in $350 million to $400 million range plus the assumption of some Summit debt, which remains off its balance sheet. As a public company, Lionsgate would be required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission once it has signed a letter of intent. The combo of Lionsgate and Summit would unite two sizable minimajors and bring the "Twilight" franchise under the same roof as "The Hunger Games," which Lionsgate is banking on to revitalize its film slate. The last of the "Twilight pics," "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2," due to open Nov. 16, is likely to perform take in as much as $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The first installment of what Lionsgate hopes will be a tentpole franchise, "Hunger Games," based on the popular book series, opens March 23. The trailer for the pic got a promo boost with its target aud in running with Summit's "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1," which did boffo business following its Nov. 20 domestic bow. Since 2007, Summit co-chairs Friedman and Wachsberger have transformed Summit from a foreign sales company into a full-service production and distribution studio on the back of its successful gamble on film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series of vampire novels. Summit arranged for a $1 billion financing deal in April 2007 -- a transaction that would not have been possible a few months later as the financial markets began melting down. In March of last year, Summit Entertainment closed a $750 million financing deal -- a $550 million term loan and a $200 million revolving line of credit -- that allowed the company to unshackle itself from itself from some of its debt, increase feature production and run day-to-day operations. It also paid a cash distribution to its largest investors, including Friedman, Wachsberger, Participant Media and private equity fund Rizvi Traverse Management. Lionsgate and Summit have had discussions about uniting going back as far as the fall of 2008, just before the bow of the first "Twilight" pic. The merged entity would have more firepower in a marketplace where the major have scaled back the production of mid-budget films in favor of tentpole and franchise properties -- creating an opportunity for sizable indies to fill that gap. Lionsgate's stock has been up and down in recent years but it appreciated by 28% in 2011. Shares gained in value starting in late August once billionaire financier Carl Icahn agreed in late August to sell off his stake and end his long quest to take control of Lionsgate. Shares closed Friday at $8.41. Unlike Summit, Lionsgate also has a sizable TV production-distribution operation that is home to series include AMC's "Mad Men" and Showtime's "Weeds" and "Nurse Jackie." The company has grown through acquisitions during the past dozen years under the direction of Jon Feltheimer, co-chairman and CEO, and vice chairman Michael Burns. The duo have orchestrated the acquisitions of film/video libraries including Trimark in 2000, Artisan in 2003, Redbus in 2005, the TV syndication outfit Debmar-Mercury in 2006, Mandate in 2007 and TV Guide Network in 2009, as well as a stake in distrib Roadside Attractions in 2007. Despite the ongoing battle with Icahn, Lionsgate remained an active bidder for MGM in 2009 and 2010 before the Lion went through its pre-packaged bankruptcy in late 2010. There's been speculation that Lionsgate has been looking to sell its half-interest in the TV Guide Network cabler. A Summit deal might accelerate a decision on what to do with the flagging asset, as Lionsgate may need to raise some cash to help it absorb the acquisition. Lionsgate has nearly $600 million in debt and over 12,000 titles in its film and TV library. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Focus takes 'Juan in the Dead'

MADRID -- Focus Features' digital distribution initiative, Focus World, has added Cuban zombie comedy "Juan in the Dead" towards the U.S. release slate. A festival favorite that world opened up in September at Toronto, "Juan" triggers a 40-year-old slacker who, each time a zombie outbreak hits Cuba, turns some payday slaying families' shambling undead. Experts are actually quick to find out "Juan" as political allegory. Whether or not this really states anything about Cuba, it's its inhabitants' knack of balancing your budget, according to director Alejandro Brugues. Focus World, which launches February with Russian fantasy thriller "Black Lightning," premieres game game titles across video-on-demand and electronic sell-through platforms, including cable/satellite companies, iTunes, Xbox 360 360 360, Ps and YouTube. John Sloss and Bart Walker's Cinetic Media, which boarded "Juan" at Toronto to repetition a U.S. purchase, and pic's worldwide telemarketer, Mexico's Latinofusion, talked about the U.S. deal. The Primary Focus World pact allows for "Juan" to premiere at U.S. festivals after which it from April possess a theatrical run in the separate distributor, Latinofusion Boss Alfredo Calvino told Variety. "Juan" struck major territory sales handles Germany (Panda Storm) and Russia (Cinema Prestige) at Toronto, together with the U.K. (Metrodome) and Japan (Fine Films) as a direct consequence. Latinofusion is at advanced predicts close top areas in Latin America shortly, Calvino added. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com