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Frey's new assignment

NEW YORK - James Frey, above, is writing for young people, and Hollywood has signed on.

Frey, a former screenwriter best known for his discredited memoir "A Million Little Pieces," is collaborating on a four-book series of teen science fiction novels that HarperCollins will publish.

Screen rights for the first novel, "I Am Number Four," have been acquired by DreamWorks and "Transformers" director Michael Bay.

Frey's co-author is Jobie Hughes, a recent graduate from the creative writing program at Columbia University.

Mourners remember Mays

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. - References to television pitchman Bill Mays' trademark image were everywhere at his funeral Friday.

Mays, whose high-energy hawking turned products like OxiClean from infomercial curiosities into mainstream successes, was remembered as a pop culture icon who never forgot his roots.

Hundreds of mourners packed the black brick, gothic Catholic church in the suburb of McKees Rocks near Pittsburgh, where Mays was raised, to remember the popular pitchman. Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.

Carradine autopsy update

LOS ANGELES - The private pathologist who conducted a second autopsy on David Carradine's, above, body said Friday that Thai authorities have determined the actor died of asphyxia and so far, he agrees.

"Thus far, the information we have gathered is consistent with that," Dr. Michael Baden said. But he noted that he is waiting for key details from Thai authorities.

Those include results from toxicology tests, an analysis of items found in Carradine's room, security surveillance footage and a log of room entries from the hotel's key card system.

The famed New York pathologist said he cannot yet determine whether Carradine's death was accidental or a homicide.

Baden performed a second autopsy on Carradine's body after it was returned to the United States. The actor was buried June 13 in Los Angeles.

Speculation about the actor's death has swirled since a chambermaid at the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel in Bangkok discovered his body hanging in the closet of his room June 4.

Butler arraignment postponed

LOS ANGELES - Arraignment has been postponed for "300" actor Gerard Butler, who's been charged in Los Angeles with misdemeanor battery for a scuffle with a paparazzo.

A Los Angeles Superior Court clerk says the actor's lawyer requested the delay Wednesday, and a judge agreed to postpone the arraignment to Aug. 18.

City prosecutors say the Scottish-born actor had a run-in with a photographer on Oct. 7 after leaving a premiere party for the film "RocknRolla."

Butler, who stars in this summer's "The Ugly Truth," faces as long as six months in jail if convicted.

New public affairs show

NEW YORK - Black Americans are going to have their own version of a Sunday public affairs show such as "Meet the Press."

TV One cable network says it will launch "Washington Watch" this September with Roland Martin as host. He'll interview newsmakers and members of the Congressional Black Caucus on issues getting traction in the black community.

Martin says he wants to talk about the state of black America every week.

TV One chief Johnathan Rodgers says he hopes to tap into a new interest in politics and government triggered by Barack Obama's election as president.

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