Actress Amanda Bynes appeared disheveled in a long, blond wig and sweats Friday in a criminal court,where she was charged with reckless endangerment after police said she heaved a marijuana bong out of her Manhattan apartment building. She was also charged with attempted tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of marijuana, all misdemeanors. Bynes, 27, was arrested Thursday evening after building officials at her midtown apartment called police to complain she was rolling a joint and smoking “pot” in the lobby. The officers went to her apartment on the 36th floor, where they said they saw heavy smoke and a bong sitting on the kitchen counter. They said she tossed the bong out the window in front of them. She then said to police: “It was just a vase,” according to Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Chikaelo Ibeabuchi. Bynes’ attorney said she denied throwing anything out the window. The judge released her on her own recognizance and gave her a July 9 court date. Bynes starred in Nickelodeon’s All That and has also starred in several films, including 2010’s Easy A.
Portraying USS Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu in the latest Star Trek movie comes with big shoes to fill, but the man who played the part in the TV series and six films has given his blessing to the actor currently playing the role. Even though George Takei said he had not yet had time to catch the recently released Star Trek Into Darkness because of his busy schedule, he feels John Cho is the “ideal choice” to carry on Sulu’s legacy with his “charm, intelligence, dash and sharpness.” Takei, who’s 76 and lives in Los Angeles, has more than 4 million fans on his Facebook page, where he shares Star Trek trivia and news about his projects.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 05/25/2013