People in the news: Czechs oppose plans for Michael Jackson statue

Czechs oppose plans for Michael Jackson statue

PRAGUE (AP) - Thousands of Czechs are protesting plans to place a Michael Jackson statue in Prague.

A group of fans plans to erect a six-foot column with a bronze bust of the King of Pop in Letna Park, where Jackson held a concert in 1996. They want to unveil it Aug. 29 to mark Jackson's 52nd birthday.

City authorities have approved the project.

By Tuesday, more than 2,000 people had joined a Facebook protest claiming it makes no sense to put the statue in the park because Jackson had no connection with the Czech Republic.

"Michael Jackson - rest in peace, and leave our Letna alone!" one Facebook message said.

A Prague art gallery has proposed putting statue by a Czech contemporary artist there instead.

Ringo Starr gold drum

to be displayed at museum

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art will display Ringo Starr's gold-plated snare drum in a special exhibition honoring his 70th birthday.

The museum said Tuesday the drum will be shown from July 7 - Starr's birthday - through December.

The instrument was presented to the drummer by the Ludwig Drum Company in Chicago during the Beatles' 1964 U.S. tour. It was given to him in appreciation for popularizing the Ludwig name. Starr played on a Ludwig oyster black pearl drum set during the Fab Fours' 1964 appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Starr also will start the second season of the PBS series "Live From the Artists Den" with a performance taped at the Met. It will be shown the week of his birthday.

Sandra Bullock, Jesse James divorce finalized

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sandra Bullock and Jesse James are divorced.

A court clerk in Austin, Texas, confirmed that the divorce between the Oscar-winning actress and celebrity biker was finalized Monday. Bullock filed to end the marriage in April after reports surfaced that James had been unfaithful.

Details of the settlement were sealed by the court, but Bullock's initial filing cited "discord or conflict of personalities" as grounds for the divorce.

An attorney for Bullock did not immediately return calls to The Associated Press on Tuesday, but her publicist, Cheryl Maisel, confirmed the couple's split was complete.

James' publicist, Monique Huey-Jones, declined to comment Tuesday.

The actress and "Monster Garage" star met in 2003 and married in 2005. It seemed like an odd pairing - the movie star often called "America's Sweetheart" marrying the tattooed biker who had been wed twice before.

It was the first marriage for Bullock, who became a devoted stepmom to James' children: Sunny, 6; Jesse Jr., 12; and Chandler, 15.

Their problems surfaced in March, just days after Bullock won the best-actress Oscar for her role in "The Blind Side."

A short time later, reports surfaced that James had been unfaithful while Bullock was away making her Oscar-winning film. He apologized to his wife and three children from previous relationships through a statement released by his

publicist.