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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dillon denies doing 106 mph

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Matt Dillon

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Peter Falk

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

George Carlin

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CHELSEA, Vt. — Matt Dillon pleaded not guilty yesterday to a Dec. 30 speeding charge in which police say they spotted him doing 106 mph on an interstate highway.

Dillon's lawyer entered the plea on behalf of the 44-year-old actor, saying there was no reason for Dillon to be at the arraignment, and that he hoped to resolve the case without going to trial.

In an affidavit, a state trooper quotes Dillon as saying when he was pulled over, "I screwed up, I know, I know."

Because Dillon was allegedly going so much over the 65-mph speed limit, he is charged with criminal negligent operation, a misdemeanor that could mean up to a year in jail.

FALK'S WIFE FIGHTS TO STAY IN CHARGE

LOS ANGELES — Peter Falk's wife of 32 years is fighting his daughter's attempt to get him placed under the daughter's conservatorship.

The Emmy-winning actor entrusted his wife, Shera Falk, to manage his affairs and care before his health deteriorated, according to documents filed Tuesday in a Los Angeles court. Catherine Falk applied last month to be named conservator over her father's affairs, saying he suffers from Alzheimer's disease. That hearing is next week.

The former "Columbo" star's wife says Falk is receiving adequate care and does not have a close relationship with his daughter. Her filing includes declarations from the couple's accountant, housekeeper and friends, including actor Joe Mantegna.

GEORGE CARLIN'S FBI FILE VERY THIN

LOS ANGELES — George Carlin spent decades pushing the bounds of free speech by saying the seven words you can never say on television, but not one of them made it into an FBI file on him.

Among the 12 pages in a file recently released by Carlin's family are a couple of complaint letters from citizens outraged that the comedian made fun of the FBI and its director, J. Edgar Hoover, on TV in 1969 and 1970.

There's also a letter from Hoover himself thanking one of Carlin's critics for defending his honor. But an internal FBI memo in the file notes that the FBI has "no data concerning Carlin" other than the two letters from his critics.

"Which kind of disappoints me," laughed Carlin's daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall, who showed the file to the Associated Press. "It doesn't really cover any of his more radical 1970s stuff."

Carlin, who died of a heart attack in June at 71, got the file years ago through a Freedom of Information Act request, McCall said.

AKON LIKES TO REMAIN AGELESS

ATLANTA — Even though Akon has a birth certificate, he says his age is still a mystery — and he likes it that way.

"All it's going to do is depress me," he said. "I don't want to know I'm getting older. Then I'll start to think about getting checkups and insurance. I don't want that."

Numerous reports have put his age between 25 and 35. In 2006, he gave his age as 25. Now, he claims his birth certificate shows he was born April 16, 1977, making him 31.

The singer, who was born in the U.S. but spent his early life in Senegal, says he never knew his birth year. "In Africa ... age is not important over there. They don't care. People only focus on it here (America) and in Europe."