Taking Names: Yoko Ono: ‘Imagine’ initially ‘was not really accepted’

Yoko Ono: ’Imagine’ initially ’was not really accepted’

Yoko Ono says John Lennon’s iconic “Imagine” wasn’t initially embraced by the public.

According to the Associated Press, she said the song, released in 1971, “was not really accepted … it wasn’t, ’Wow!’ “

Ms. Ono, who is listed as a co-producer on the track, said she remembers when Lennon created it, calling that time “really beautiful.”

Lennon’s 78-year-old widow made the comments at the launch of Hard Rock and WhyHunger’s “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign in New York City’s Times Square on Tuesday. The global campaign aims to raise money and awareness for childhood hunger and poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked “Imagine” at No. 3 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

Pixar’s Lasseter gets star, pays tribute to Steve Jobs

Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter paid tribute to late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs while receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Getting teary, Mr. Lasseter recalled that the only request Jobs - former CEO of Pixar and Disney board member - asked of him was to “make it great,” as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

“Without Steve, Pixar wouldn’t exist,” he said of the company that has churned out such critically and commercially successful films as “Toy Story,” “Cars” and their sequels. “These films wouldn’t exist. I honor him.”

Jobs died Oct. 5 at age 56 after battling pancreatic cancer.

Mr. Lasseter - who received the 2,453rd star on the Walk of Fame, located in front of Disney’s El Capitan Theatre - also thanked his family, his colleagues and Pixar President Ed Catmull in his remarks.

Mr. Lasseter, who attended the ceremony decked out in one of his signature Hawaiian shirts, worn under a black blazer over jeans, called it “the greatest honor you could give me.” After the star itself was revealed, the giddy executive proceeded to lie down on it.

Other speakers included Don Rickles, who voiced Mr. Potato Head in “Toy Story” and its sequels, and John Ratzenberger, who has been a part of every Pixar movie thus far.

Hugh Grant becomes a father; baby’s mother not identified

Hugh Grant has become a father after a brief fling, his spokesman said Tuesday - but the identity of the baby’s mother is not being disclosed.

According to the Associated Press, publicist Carrie Gordon said Mr. Grant “is the delighted father of a baby girl.”

She said Mr. Grant and the mother “had a fleeting affair and while this was not planned, Hugh could not be happier or more supportive.

“He and the mother have discussed everything and are on very friendly terms.”

The 51-year-old star of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill” previously had relationships with model-actress Elizabeth Hurley and socialite-turned-campaigner Jemima Khan.

Mr. Grant, who built a career playing bumbling British charmers, last appeared in a movie opposite Sarah Jessica Parker in the 2009 comedy “Did You Hear About the Morgans?”

More recently, he has become a high-profile opponent of intrusion by Britain’s tabloid press.

Lindsay Lohan sentenced to 30 days in jail

A judge on Wednesday sentenced Lindsay Lohan to serve 30 days in jail for a probation violation.

According to the Associated Press, Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner sentenced the actress for violating the terms of her release by being terminated from a community service assignment at a women’s shelter.

The actress acknowledged she violated her probation. Her sentence will likely be shortened because of jail overcrowding.

Judge Sautner imposed a complicated sentence on the actress, telling her that she will have to perform all of her community service at the county morgue or risk serving an additional 270 days in jail.

The judge also ordered Miss Lohan to continue undergoing counseling sessions and said she must report back to court in December, January, February and March for updates.

Miss Lohan also will get a new probation officer who has been ordered by Judge Sautner to report any violations directly to the court.

It is Miss Lohan’s fifth jail sentence since being arrested twice for drunken driving in 2007. The 25-year-old last served 35 days on house arrest on a four-month jail sentence.

Judge Sautner revoked Miss Lohan’s probation at a hearing nearly two weeks ago.

The “Mean Girls” star has been reporting to the Los Angeles morgue regularly, which Judge Sautner ordered her to do at the last court appearance. The judge had sentenced Miss Lohan to serve 120 hours doing janitorial work at the coroner’s office in April but expressed hope that the actress would benefit from working three times that amount of hours at a women’s shelter.

Miss Lohan was terminated from the shelter program after failing to show up nine times at the center. She told her probation officer the assignment was not fulfilling, according to the actress’s probation report.

The actress’s morgue service has not been without drama - she was turned away the first day after showing up 40 minutes late. She has shown up early several times since then. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter declined to characterize how Miss Lohan’s service was progressing Tuesday.

• Compiled from Web and wire reports.