HOLLYWOOD: MANDALAY SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT has formed
MANDALAY PROLIANCE, which will focus on projects of wide
appeal to the urban community. The division will produce
three-to-five films per year with Trimark Pictures (Mandalay
Sports Entertainment). DAILY VARIETY's Dana Harris writes
the division will be "headed" by JEFF CLANAGAN, former head
of MASTER P's No Limit Filmworks. The first film under the
agreement, the prison drama "CIVIL BRAND," will begin
production later this year (DAILY VARIETY, 8/17)....In
Indianapolis, Bill Koenig writes SYLVESTER STALLONE's new
movie "CHAMPS," about CART racing, gives CART a "chance to
get some major exposure." Stallone is "hoping this will be a
comeback film" for himself and there is a "chance to get
open-wheel racing before new audiences (INDY STAR,
8/17)....ORLANDO JONES, on his role in "THE REPLACEMENTS": "I
played [football] in high school, but it's different when a
16-year old guy named Jeff is hitting you as opposed to some
6'6' dude named J.C. with eight gold teeth who [doesn't] like
actors. ... They had this rule which was basically don't hit
the actors. What that really meant was don't hit KEANU
[REEVES]" (NBC, 8/16).
CRIMES & PUNISHMENTS: Boxing Promoter BOB ARUM, in a
settlement over his admission that he paid off IBF officials,
must pay a $125,000 fine and is "banned for six months from
attending weigh-ins or entering dressing rooms or boxing
rings" in NV. Arum can "continue to direct" Top Rank and
promote fights, but Top Rank "must open its books" to the
Nevada Athletic Commission (USA TODAY, 8/17)....Canadian
business exec CARROLL TESSIER, who was convicted of fraud in
April for his role in what federal prosecutors say was a
"scheme to defraud two area banks" and the Lightning, has
been sentenced to 64 months in prison. The scheme involved a
'91 attempt to buy the team in which Tessier and three others
"made fraudulent applications" to First Union bank and the
former Barnett banks for $25M in loans (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/17).
OLYMPIC NEWS: In Dallas, Kevin Blackistone notes Olympic
swimmer ANTHONY ERVIN this past week became the first
African-American to make the U.S. Olympic swim team.
Blackistone notes the accomplishments of other African-
American athletes, including TIGER WOODS and VENUS and SERENA
WILLIAMS (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/17)....U.S. gymnasts BLAINE
WILSON and JOHN ROETHLISBERGER were interviewed on ABC's
"GMA" about their Olympic pursuits. USA TODAY's Christine
Brennan then discussed the chances of the men's and women's
U.S. gymnastics teams placing at the 2000 Games (ABC, 8/17).
DALY BRANCHING OUT: FSN's Chris Rose reported that JOHN
DALY has "traded in his driver for a guitar and recorded a
country music song called, 'YOU CAN LEAN ON ME.'" The song
is due to be released later this month. Daly said that
"there's no Grammy in his future," but added, "My singing is
better than my golf swing's been lately" ("NSR," FSN, 8/16).