‘N Sync’s  Bass training for space

‘N Sync’s Lance Bass wants to go to space, and he’s getting corporate sponsors to do it.

Electronic manufacturer Radio Shack just paid for the pop star to begin medical screening at Star City, Russia’s Institute for Bio-Medical Problems. Bass must pass the screenings to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

The Russian space agency said Monday that they had not yet received an official application from Bass, who hopes to spent 10 days in space on the rocket Kazakhstan.

Bass, 22, will undergo six-months of training before his space mission, which will be filmed by sponsor Destiny Productions (in association with the William Morris Agency) for a planned television special, “Celebrity Mission: Lance Bass.”

Smash Mouth joins ‘N Sync on tour

Before Lance Bass heads off to space, he and the rest of N’ Sync will finish their nation wide tour with rock band Smash Mouth. The unusual pairing stems from Smash Mouth’s desire to play larger-venues, and the band’s openness to do just about anything.

Oscars break down color barriers

Halle Berry kicked down the color barriers of the Academy with her best actress win Sunday night for “Monster’s Ball.” Berry, the first black actress to win the coveted award, was barely able to speak through her tears.

“This moment is so much bigger than me,” she said. “This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll … it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance, because the door tonight has been opened.”

She ended her speech by thanking her lawyer.

Denzel Washington won the best actor award for “Training Day” and Sydney Poitier won an honorary award (the first black actor to ever win an Oscar — back in 1963).

Other highlights of the four-and-a half-hour-show was Whoopi Goldberg entering the stage from a hanging swing, Shrek and Donkey clapping in the audience for their Best Animated Film win, and “Beautiful Mind” sweeping Best Picture and Best Director.

Green wins mock Academy awards

Hollywood — Tom Green cleaned up at The Golden Raspberry Awards Saturday, winning five Razzies for “Freddy Got Fingered” at the annual pre-Academy spoof show.

Green, who recently split from actress Drew Barrymore, is the first actor to actually attend the show and collect his awards.

Fox fights copyright accusations

A New Yorker claims she created the lovable Scrat featured in the new Fox film “Ice Age,” and now she wants a piece of the more than $50 million the movie made its opening weekend March 15. Ivy Silberstein claims animation artist Peter de Seve stole Scrat from her comic character Sqrat.

The saber-toothed squirrel, who now breaks up the acts of the movie with his silent antics, was not in the original “Ice Age” script.

March 28, 2002