National Entertainment

Pace picks up `The Fall,' but won't push it too much

Near as Lee Pace can tell, the best way to scare audiences away is to tell them how good something is.

Speedy new character debuts on new season of NBC's `Heroes'

She's not just fast. She's very fast.

From couch to court, Gabriel Byrne charms in 'Camelot'

He can't sing and he can't dance, but Gabriel Byrne can charm - and he did while portraying the chivalrous King Arthur in "Camelot."

http://www.nyphil.org

'CSI' star Gary Dourdan charged with felony drug possession

"CSI" co-star Gary Dourdan has been charged with felony possession of heroin, cocaine and ecstasy stemming from his arrest last month, prosecutors said.

Portrait of Heath Ledger wins Australian art award

A portrait of Hollywood star Heath Ledger painted weeks before his death has won an Australian art award.

Jeff Probst: Surviving 16 seasons of `Survivor'

After all this time, you don't associate Jeff Probst with traffic gridlock, yowling sirens, or office towers crowding the sky.

http://www.cbs.com

KARLA MASS: The week's most talked about book

Children's Book Week is an annual event that began in 1919. Public libraries go all out for this national celebration of children's literature. Activities include creative book cover contests, book readings, sleepovers, author presentations, bumper sticker contests and even a favorite book contest. There's a lot of positive buzz, including my personal praises, about a new children's book titled, "Ancient Egypt: A First Look at People of the Nile," by author and illustrator Bruce Strachan. He successfully resurrects a kingdom that existed two thousand years ago.

Cosmetics firm Lancome and Uma Thurman in contract dispute

French cosmetics giant Lancome and Uma Thurman are wrangling over the use of her name and image in an advertising campaign.

http://www.lancome-usa.com

What's new in entertainment

A look at what's new in movies, books, music, television, video games and DVDs for the weekend.

'Rafta, Rafta' gently lampoons generational differences

Picture two young people trying to enjoy their wedding night in the bedroom right next to the groom's parents, and you'll get an idea of the frustrating yet touching comedic premise of Ayub Khan-Din's warmhearted play, "Rafta, Rafta ...," currently in a New Group production at off-Broadway's Acorn Theatre.

How Iron Man was trounced by a scruffy car thief

Niko Bellic is richer than Tony Stark.

Adkins records opening song for 'Black Gold' TV series

Trace Adkins, a former oil roughneck, has written and recorded a song called "Black Gold" that will open an upcoming truTV series of the same name.

http://www.traceadkins.com

Study of 'Daily Show': It's a lot like O'Reilly

A journalism think tank studying "The Daily Show" doesn't believe many people get their news from Jon Stewart - because otherwise they wouldn't get the jokes.

Whoopi Goldberg will serve as host of the 2008 Tony Awards

It will be Whoopi and Tony.

http://www.TonyAwards.com

Capsule reviews of `Speed Racer' and other films this week

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

NBA playoff matchup No. 1 on cable for April 28-May 4

Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of April 28-May 4. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses:

http://www.nielsenmedia.com

Carly Simon charts new course with Brazilian-inspired CD

Carly Simon was worried about preserving her voice as she rehearsed for her first public performance of tunes from her new CD, but she couldn't restrain herself as she got swept away singing the sexy title song, "This Kind of Love."

CHUCK BARNEY: Here's hoping MTV can help make newspapers cool again

God bless Amanda Lorber, a senior at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla., who says "Journalists are the most important part of the world."

http://www.contracostatimes.com

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Son of Rambow'

Somewhere under the "rambow" - more precisely, circa 1982 in a theater playing "First Blood," which introduced Sylvester Stallone as troubled Vietnam vet John Rambo - two irresistible forces forged a wary bond.

http://www.philly.com/

'Son of Rambow': a little film among friends

Nick Goldsmith and Garth Jennings, the duo behind the crazy English coming-of-age film "Son of Rambow," were in town for the recent Philadelphia Film Festival. And Goldsmith, an inquisitive Londoner on his first visit to the U.S. city, picked up that day's edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

http://www.philly.com/

Review: No luck finding surprises in `Vegas'

Come on, now. You already know "What Happens in Vegas."