By Cindy Elavsky
Q: I was wondering how Patrick Swayze is doing in his battle against pancreatic cancer. — Lisa J., Parma, Ohio
A: Patrick, who turns 57 this month, has been battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer since January 2008. Publicly, he has maintained high spirits throughout the fight, claiming in his interview with Barbara Walters earlier this year that he is going to kick it. Recent photos of the actor/dancer/singer show him looking better, and it appears he has put on weight.
Patrick was dealt a blow earlier this summer when A&E confirmed that his detective drama, “The Beast,” had been canceled. On Sept. 29, Patrick and his wife are set to release their joint autobiography, “The Time of My Life.” According to amazon.com, the book covers “his Texas upbringing, his personal struggles, his rise to fame with ’North and South,’ his commercial breakthroughs in ’Dirty Dancing’ and ’Ghost,’ and the soul mate who’s stood by his side through it all: his wife, writer/director Lisa Niemi.”
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Q: I have a question about a song in a Visa check-card commercial, which sounds an awful lot like the Moody Blues. Is it? — Reggie H., via e-mail
A: I believe the song you are referring to is “Tuesday Afternoon,” and it is indeed by the Moody Blues. The song comes from the 1967 album “Days of Future Passed,” and it was released as a single in 1968. It reached the No. 24 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. “Tuesday Afternoon” was the follow-up to the band’s megahit, “Nights in White Satin.”
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Q: I haven’t seen a new episode of “Curb Your Enthusiam” on HBO in quite a while. Please tell me it hasn’t been canceled! — Janice, Fort Worth, Texas
A: Don’t worry, Janice, HBO has picked up the Larry David comedy for its seventh season, which is scheduled to premiere Sept. 20. Cheryl Hines has confirmed she will return to the show, as will Vivica A. Fox, who has been Larry’s love interest in Season Six. Will the two ladies fight for Larry’s attention?
Also, the principal cast of “Seinfeld” — Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards — will be appearing on several episodes of the new season. “Seinfeld,” as I am sure you know, was a Larry David creation.
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Q: I really like the new “Knight Rider” and wonder why it isn’t coming back. — Dee Dee D., Anadarko, Okla.
A: Low ratings are what killed KITT, along with the latest incarnation of the popular 1980s TV show. The 2008 version of “Knight Rider” was riddled with inconsistencies, poor reviews and general lack of interest. Even a guest appearance by the original Michael Knight himself, David Hasselhoff, couldn’t rev up its ratings. However, you can relive all of Season One’s greatest moments, as the complete first season of “Knight Rider” came out on DVD over the summer.
Have a question for Cindy? E-mail her at [email protected], or write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Visit Cindy’s Web site at www.celebrityextraonline.com.
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.