Howard Stern delivered the eulogy, the Broadway singer and actress Audra McDonald sang Smile and bagpipers played New York, New York at Joan Rivers's funeral in the city on Sunday at a star-studded send-off that – like the comedian herself – united the worlds of Hollywood, theatre, fashion and media. Tributes to the influential comedian were delivered by the television anchor Deborah Norville, Rivers's close friend Margie Stern, the columnist Cindy Adams and Rivers's daughter, Melissa. The X-Men and Les Misérables actor Hugh Jackman sang Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage at the end of the memorial and pipers from the New York City Police Department played on the streets as mourners filed out of Temple Emanu-El. Celebrities who attended the funeral included the comedians Kathy Griffin, Rosie O'Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg; Rivers's Fashion Police co-presenter and friend Kelly Osbourne; the actors Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Bernadette Peters, Alan Cumming and Tommy Tune; and television stars such as Barbara Walters, Geraldo Rivera, Diane Sawyer and Kathie Lee Gifford. Rivers died a week after she went into cardiac arrest during a routine procedure on her throat at a doctor's office in New York. – AP
Big B and son might star in Luthria’s next film
The filmmaker Milan Luthria wants Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan to star in his next project, a contemporary drama, according to ndtv.com. Luthria, whose films The Dirty Picture and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara received rave reviews, has already worked with Amitabh in the 2004 movie Deewaar: Let's Bring Our Heroes Home. The father and son duo have worked together in films such as Paa and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. – The National staff
Schwarzenegger briefly returns to California capitol
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and former Republican governor of California, returned to the state capitol in Sacramento yesterday for two high-profile public events: one to discuss the state's fight against climate change and the other to unveil his official portrait. Arnie left the governor's office in 2011 after serving two terms. He has returned to acting and makes few political appearances other than to advocate for renewable energy. While in office, he promoted California's landmark 2006 global-warming law. He was due to appear yesterday at a symposium highlighting California's position at the forefront of developing policies to address climate change. Schwarzenegger was then due to head to the Capitol rotunda for a ceremony to unveil his governor's portrait. – AP
Last chance to enter Admaf Comic Arts Awards
Budding comic-book creators and animators have just a week left to enter the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (Admaf) Comic Arts Awards for a chance to win a place at the acclaimed animation workshop at New York Film Academy in New York. Organised in association with Mubadala and supported by Middle East Film & Comic Con, entries are welcome from UAE citizens ages 18 and above until Monday, September 15. Submissions will be judged by an expert jury: the artist and filmmaker Ashraf Ghori; Ben Caddy, the chief executive of Middle East Film & Comic Con; the artist Jalal Luqman; and Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, the founder of Admaf. A shortlist of five entrants will be invited to the Mubadala Youth Forum next month, where the winner will be announced. Submissions are welcome in the form of comic art or animation, including long form, short form, digital media, comic strips, single image and moving image. For complete entry details, visit www.admaf.org. – The National staff
