JC to open for Britney July 5 - August 15
(4/12/04) Official Britney Spears Site

US TOUR NEWS - Eamon and JC Chasez
First 10 dates (June 22 - July 4th): Eamon
Remainder of the tour (July 5 - Aug 15): JC Chasez

[Ed. note: CFTC is the weekend of the Charlotte (7/23) and Virginia Beach (7/24) shows.]

Timberlake and Spacey Join Forces in 'Edison'
(4/12/04) Kate O'Hare Zap 2 It

On a recent Sunday afternoon in Vancouver, Canada, there was a huge crowd eagerly waiting for the doors of the public library to open.
And, shockingly enough, when the moment came, it appeared that the library itself was indeed the big draw, not the fact that Justin Timberlake was shooting a movie on one of the upper floors.

While that says volumes of cool stuff about Vancouver, it in no way diminishes the tabloid drawing power of the pop singer -- Janet Jackson's unwitting (he says) accomplice in the now-infamous Super Bowl halftime show in January -- who is hard at work on his first acting role in the independent feature "Edison."

"There have been paparazzi following us," says David J. Burke ("Wiseguy," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"), the film's writer and director. "There's not a slew of them, but there are guys with their long-lens cameras on the perimeter of the set, across the street and in buildings. If they can catch a picture of him, they do."

While Burke knew Timberlake was a top singer, he didn't really count himself a fan, but he knew what it meant to give the performer his first acting gig.

"What I knew about Justin Timberlake," Burke says, "is that at the age of 22, he was a 12-year veteran of show business. He was a huge megastar who would not in a million years want to do this movie unless he was a very serious man. So when they said Justin Timberlake wanted to do the movie, I literally leaped out of the car, I was so happy.

"And he's been better than any expectation you could have. He's an artist, and this is another canvas on which he wants to paint."

In the $25 million "Edison," due out next year from Millennium Films, Timberlake plays an inexperienced reporter caught out of his depth while investigating police corruption.

"He's just a lazy kid," Burke says. "There are a number of them, who are so bright and articulate and facile in their skills out of college, they can write a story with qualifications and qualifiers, so they don't actually have to go to the bowels of the city hall, knock on doors, get dirty."

If you're wondering whether this film has anything to do with the actual police corruption allegations in the township of Edison, N.J., in the '90s, as reported on "60 Minutes" in 2000, Burke says, "This has nothing to do with Edison, N.J., with what the Edison officials did several years ago."

Burke says the city in his script is not a bedroom community of New York City, as Edison is, but something more akin to Kansas City, Cincinnati or St. Louis. "I chose the name Edison," he says, "because there aren't any other Edisons outside of Edison, N.J., and I didn't care if they were offended. And you say Edison anyplace else, the subconscious takes you to Thomas Edison, electricity, power, industry, etc."

Timberlake's character eventually partners with an older, more experienced journalist, played by Morgan Freeman.

"Morgan is a journalist from the Vietnam era," Burke says, "who doesn't tolerate this kid taking the shortcut. Morgan sets us all straight."

Two-time Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey (for "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects") also stars, as an investigator from the District Attorney's office. He has been trying to bring down the dirty cops and forms an uneasy alliance with the journalists.

Rounding out the cast are LL Cool J, Dylan McDermott, Cary Elwes, John Heard and Piper Perabo.

Burke's connection with Spacey goes back to the first season of the 1987-'90 police drama "Wiseguy," in which Spacey played the manic-depressive drugs-and-guns dealer Mel Profitt.

"It was very uncomfortable calling him," Burke says, "but I'm so happy I did. Kevin came to 'Wiseguy' on a fluke. In some ways it was fate. Kevin's skill and absolute fearlessness to try anything as an actor opened up the door for me to write anything I wanted, because I knew he wouldn't be afraid of it as long as it felt true.

"I can't tell you how many times people have said to me, 'Why didn't you call Kevin?' Kevin doesn't owe me anything. He did a great job on 'Wiseguy,' which allowed me to get better at my work, so it was a square deal from the get-go.

"God bless him, he said, 'OK, Burke, I'll do your little movie.' And look, if I'm just completely screwing things up, I just put the camera on Kevin and Morgan."

As a side note for "Wiseguy" fans, Jim Byrnes (aka Lifeguard) appears in "Edison," although Burke wasn't sure at first that any of the roles available were big enough.

"He said, 'I want to do anything in your movie,' and that was really nice."

Although Timberlake's role doesn't draw on his musical skills, there just might be something on an eventual DVD.

"We did shoot him singing and dancing," Burke says. "It was between takes, and he and Morgan were singing and dancing. I said, 'Turn on the cameras, this is too much fun to miss.'"

JC Chasez Set To Enter Restaurant Partnership
(4/12/04) Celebrity Groove

'N Sync member JC Chasez who has recently forayed into the solo artist arena is now planning on embarking on another non 'N Sync-related venture. JC's new venture will be a partnership in a sushi bar & Asian grill restaurant located in Naples, Florida, and should be open for business within a few months.

Fellow 'N Sync bandmate Justin Timberlake preceded JC with a similar endeavor in late 2003 when he became a part owner of Club Chi, with Art and Allan Davis. Club Chi is located within the Hyatt Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Justin heading to Malaysia?
(4/12/04) Malay Mail Malaysia

...Black Eyed Peas seems set to drop by for a concert at the end of next month.

While they may not be bringing along Justin Timberlake, keep your fingers crossed as we hear that ol' JT will be heading this part of the world in the next couple of months. Let's hope SOMEONE snaps him up for a concert here...