Quick Takes: Jean-Luc Godard won’t pick up honorary Oscar

Filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard will not be coming to Hollywood to accept his honorary Academy Award.

Academy President Tom Sherak said Monday that he had gotten word from Godard that the 79-year-old director would not attend the Governors Awards on Nov. 13, when honorary Oscars are presented.

The decision followed what the academy called a cordial, two-month exchange with the iconoclastic filmmaker, a pioneer of the French New Wave who has taken potshots at Hollywood over the years.

Sherak said Godard thanked academy officials for the lifetime-achievement award, which will be delivered to him in Switzerland after the event.

Godard’s films include “Breathless,” “Contempt,” “Alphaville” and “Band of Outsiders.”

—Associated Press

TV’s Lauer to interview Bush

Former President George W. Bush has scheduled his first one-on-one television interview about his presidency since leaving the White House.

NBC News said Monday that Matt Lauer will interview Bush for a one-hour prime-time show Nov. 8, the day before Bush’s book “Decision Points” is released. Bush also will appear live on NBC’s “Today” show Nov. 10.

Bush will discuss the defining decisions he’s made in his personal and political lives.

His daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, is a correspondent who files reports for the “Today” show.

—Associated Press

FX comedy to star Wood in ’11

FX is deepening its comedy roster with “Wilfred,” a new single-camera comedy starring Elijah Wood (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy) and Jason Gann (“The Wedding”).

In his first TV role, Wood plays Ryan, an introvert who struggles to find social and professional happiness, until he meets Wilfred, who is played by Gann. The world sees Wilfred as a dog; Ryan sees Wilfred as a man dressed in a dog suit.

Based on the Australian series of the same title, “Wilfred” is the fourth comedy added to the FX lineup in the last 18 months. It will premiere this summer.

—Maria Elena Fernandez

A No.1 ranking for King of Pop

Michael Jackson’s death sparked an outpouring of grief around the world, but fans also opened their wallets to make him this year’s top earner among deceased celebrities with $275 million, Forbes said Monday.

Jackson raked in more than the combined total of the other 12 celebrities on the list, Forbes magazine said. He was ranked third on last year’s list with $90 million.

Elvis Presley came in second, earning $60 million from admissions to his former home Graceland, a Cirque du Soleil show and more than 200 licensing and merchandise deals.

Jackson was 50 when he died in Los Angeles on June 25 last year. His estate has generated millions since then, mostly through record sales, the “This Is It” concert movie, licensing rights, deals to release new albums and a Cirque du Soleil stage show in Las Vegas.

—Reuters

Foundation helps KCET

KCET-TV, the Los Angeles PBS affiliate that’s soon leaving the network, just got a vote of confidence in the form of a $1-million check.

The Ahmanson Foundation, which already supports such KCET programs as “SoCal Connected” and is a longtime backer of “Nova,” is giving the station the money to facilitate its conversion to an independent entity.

“This expression of strong support for KCET at this critical juncture in our history is an inspiration as we continue our efforts to make this new independent KCET a model for independent public media in the 21st century,” KCET President and Chief Executive Al Jerome said in a statement.

KCET officially leaves PBS at the end of the year. The station has not announced its programming lineup after that time.

—Scott Collins

Finally

Concert moves: Neil Sedaka, who was scheduled to perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Oct. 27, has postponed the concert until Dec. 7 because he is suffering from acute pharyngitis and acute laryngitis, organizers said Monday. Tickets for Oct. 27 will be honored on the new date.

More episodes: ABC has given full-season orders to freshman series “No Ordinary Family” and “Better With You.”