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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007 -- PAGE 5B
Wacky Facts
The formal or medical name for a hiccup
is singultus (SIN-gul-tas).
The lighter half-moon shape at the base of your
fingernails is called a lunula (LOON-yuh-luh)
— World Almanac for Kids
Chatter Box
I was 11 (when I started). And I’m not going
to look back on it and say I’m not proud of it,
’cause I am. But it’s like seeing baby photos of
^ yourself. It’s always a bit embarrassing.’
— Daniel Radcliffe, on watching himself in the
Harry Potter films, on EW.com.
o/nez
WIZARD IN TRAINING
By Janis Campbell
Detroit Free Press
Wizards are hot. Just ask the 8 million-plus fans
who rushed out to get J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows” on the very day it went on
sale in July.
So for everyone who is hooked on magic, the folks at
the Disney Channel have conjured up a new wizard
world in the magical series “Wizards of Waverly Place.”
The show is about three siblings growing up in New
York City. The kids — Max, Justin and Alex —
are pretty normal except for the tiny fact
that their dad is a wizard, and he’s
tutoring them in the wizarding
ways. Their mom on the show is
a mere mortal.
We recently chatted on the
phone with Selena Gomez,
who plays Alex Russo on the
show. She was in Texas vis
iting her dad and other
family members while tak
ing a two-week break from
work. (Gomez lives in Los
Angeles with her mom and
stepdad.)
Gomez had a pretty
magical start to her show
business career. When
she was 7 — actually
on her 7th birthday —
she tried out for a spot
on the popular kids
show “Barney &
Friends.”
It was her first
audition and the
competition
was fierce.
“I stood in line with 1,400 kids and I ended up booking
it,” Gomez says. “I found out the next day that I got a
callback, and then I got the part.”
Gomez says it was a great opportunity because the
show was filmed about 20 minutes from her home near
Dallas. She was on the show for two years.
After leaving the big purple dinosaur, she continued
to get acting jobs, including a part in “Spy Kids 3-D”
and a guest spot on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.”
This year — on her 15th birthday — she got another
acting gift. She was already working on “Waverly
Place,” but got a guest spot on the superpopular Disney
show “Hannah Montana.” She was working on
“Hannah” on her birthday so her “Waverly
Place” castmates came over to wish her a
happy birthday.
Gomez counts her young Disney co
stars as some of her best pals. She says
she’s friends with Miley Cyrus and
Emily Osment, who she reports are
“some of the sweetest girls ever.”
“I have their number and I text or
call them all the time,” she says.
Gomez let us in on a little bit of
show business magic: Although the
show is set in New York City, it's
actually filmed on a big set in Los
Angeles. “I’ve actually never been
to New York City,” Gomez says,
“but I would really like to go.”
So is she a fan of a certain boy
wizard?
“I’ve never actually gotten into
Harry Potter, but I love the special
effects of the movies. They are so
cool and I love magic,” Gomez
says. “All of my friends are into
1 it and magic is big right now
R so I’m happy that I’m working
A on a magic show.”
FAST FACTS
Birthday: July 22, 1992.
Would love this magical
talent: To zap food when I'm
hungry so I could have a snack
anytime.
Family life: Lives in L.A.
with mom and stepdad and
four dogs.
School life: Selena is in
10th grade and has school on
the set with her castmates.
What’s next: Selena is film
ing a movie and would love to
record a CD. (She sings in the
opening credits of the show!)
In The News
A gold medal for a
man of peace
TJME
For nearly half a century, the Dalai Lama, the spir
itual leader of Tibet, has not lived in his homeland.
Yet he is hugely popular in the Himalayan region
and around the world. This fall, the U.S. Congress
awarded the Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold
Medal in recognition of his work for human rights
and peace. The medal is this
country’s highest civilian award.
“I believe that this award sends
a powerful message to those many individuals who
are dedicated toward promoting peace, understanding
and harmony,” the 72-year-old Buddhist monk told
an audience of congressional leaders and dignitaries.
President Bush also attended the ceremony, held in
the Capitol Rotunda. It was the first time a current
U.S. president has appeared with the Dalai Lama at a
public event. “Today we honor (the Dalai Lama) as a
universal symbol of peace and tolerance,” Bush said.
The day before the medal presentation, the presi
dent and the Buddhist monk talked in the White
House. It was the fourth time Bush and the Dalai
Lama have met privately.
“We know each other, and we have developed, I
think, a very close friendship — something like a
reunion of one family,” the Dalai Lama said after the
meeting.
ANDREW CO UN Cl LL/M CT
First lady Laura Bush, House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, Sen. Robert Byrd and President
George W. Bush look on as the Dalai Lama
receives the Congressional Gold Medal.
CHINA S ANGRY RESPONSE
In 1951, China invaded Tibet. Eight years later,
after the Chinese refused to accept his authority, die
Dalai Lama fled across the Himalayas to India. Today,
he lives in Dharamsala, India, but travels the world
speaking on behalf of nonviolence and human rights.
The monk received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
In his remarks dining the award ceremony, Bush
urged China to accept the Dalai Lama as a “man of
peace and reconciliation.” China has protested die
Congressional award, claiming that the Dalai Lama is
promoting a freer Tibet.
“The Chinese government strongly opposes die
U.S. Congress giving the Dalai Lama a so-called
award,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Liu Jianchao.
AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE
Congress has awarded die Gold Medal since 1776.
It is used to express “public gratitude for distinguished
contributions.” Initially, the medal was awarded to mil
itary leaders. George Washington was the first recipi
ent. Since dien, inventors, poets, comedians and world
leaders have been recognized for their work. Last
March, the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots
who served die United States during World War II,
were saluted for their bravery. — Nellie Gonzalez Cutler
O 2007 Time Inc AH Rights Reserved
TIME FOR KIDS and Timeforkjds com are registered trademarks ol Time Inc
Help!
Rips fc Rayes
I’m embarrassed at sleepovers!
DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: I'm the most
modest girl in my class. At slumber parties
and after sports, I go into a bathroom
stall or a closet to change. I really don't
like changing in front of people. What
should I do or say? — Too Modest
■ Remember, it’s your body, and you
don’t have to do anydiing diat makes
you feel uncomfortable — ever. There’s
nodiing wrong with wanting
some privacy, even when
everyone else feels OK about
changing in front of one another. When you
step out to change, simply say, “Excuse me,
I’ll be right back.” Don’t make a big deal
about it. If someone mentions it, just laugh it
off. Say, “It’s nodiing personal! I'm just shy!”
DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: My friends and I
have a lot of sleepovers. I like that, but I
snore. My friends always make fun
of me. They laugh at me and imi
tate my snores. I try to laugh with
them, but deep down it really hurts
my feelings. Should I just not go to
sleepovers anymore? — Snore Snoozer
■ Keep going to sleepovers, but
k. + ^ think about getting a
American Girl checku P> too - Snoring may
~ seem harmless (odier dian
being embarrassing), but it may not be healthy
if it’s interfering with your sleep. So tell your
parents, and consider a visit to your doctor.
Visit americangirl.com to get or give advice.
© 2007 American Girl. LLC All rights reserved
Care Bears countdown
They might be 25 years
old, but they hardly look it.
The Care Bears and their
belly badges are back and
bigger than ever with a new
movie, a new toy line, a lim
ited edition bear and a tele
vision comeback.
“Oopsy Does It!” an all-
new animated movie, was
just released on DVD
($19.98) and stars a new
character — the clumsy
Oopsy Bear, the only bear
without a belly badge.
In the movie Cheer and
Grumpy Bear build an
amusement park for their
friends, but Oopsy Bear
accidentally
destroys it.
The evil bear
Grizzle uses
Oopsy’s mis
take to steal
the bears'
belly badges.
Never fear,
Oopsy comes to
the rescue and
proves you don’t
need a badge to
be a bear that cares.
The Care Bear toys have a
fiesh new look to bring out
each bear’s special
qualities. Toys
include the musical
sing-along friends
and the 25th
Anniversary Care
Bear with crystal
eyes. (Toys cost
$3.99 to $19.99.)
And now you
can catch the Care
Bears on a new
television show
on CBS. (Check your local
listings for times.)
— Wendy Zang