Quick Takes - Sept. 24, 2010

Katy Perry off ‘Street’

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All the toddlers who brought out their best daisy dukes for Katy Perry’s “Sesame Street” premiere are gonna be so cranky.

The PBS children’s show announced Thursday that a scheduled appearance by Perry, queen of the most inappropriate whipped-cream bra ever, had been canceled. On Monday, a clip of Perry singing a G-rated version of her hit “Hot N Cold” and begging to play with Elmo was leaked on the Web. Parents, outraged by Perry’s breast-accentuating dress, immediately protested.

In response, “Sesame Street” yanked the segment, which was set to appear later this year as part of the show’s 41st season.

—?Melissa Maerz

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AFI Fest sets opener, closer

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“Love and Other Drugs,” Edward Zwick’s new film about the intoxicating power of love starring Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal, will premiere as the opening night film of the 2010 AFI Fest. “Black Swan,” Darren Aronofsky’s supernatural ballet drama with Natalie Portman, will close the event, it was announced Thursday.

The respected local festival — part of the American Film Institute’s program — is celebrating its 24th year, and will be held Nov. 4-11 in Hollywood.

Both Zwick and Aronofsky are alumni of the AFI Conservatory, as is the guest artistic director of the festival this year, David Lynch.

—?Amy Kaufman

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3 hours less Nick Saturday

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First Lady Michelle Obama will symbolically pull the switch turning off Nickelodeon and its sister networks for three hours Saturday, part of its annual effort to encourage children to go out and play.

In a taped message, the first lady tells Nick viewers to “get ready to shut down your computers, put down your cellphones and turn off your TVs.” The tape will air at 9 a.m. (Pacific time) Saturday. Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr. and TeenNick will then go off the air for the “Worldwide Day of Play.”

Fans can’t simply switch to their computers; each network’s corresponding website will go dark too.

—?Associated Press

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Music Center renames hall

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The Music Center is renaming the Grand Hall of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in recognition of Eva and Marc Stern, whose latest gift was said to make them the second largest cumulative donors to the downtown arts venue and its resident companies after the family of Walt Disney. Details of the donation were not revealed.

The second-floor Pavilion area will henceforth be called the Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall.

Marc Stern, vice chairman and chief executive officer of the TCW Group, is board chairman of Los Angeles Opera and a member of the Music Center board of directors. Eva Stern, a clinical social worker, is a member of the boards of Center Theatre Group, the Broad Stage and the Blue Ribbon of the Music Center.

—?From a Times staff writer

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Spain unearths a rare Bruegel

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An unidentified painting brought to Spain about 400 years ago has turned out to be a previously unknown masterpiece by 16th century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the culture minister said Thursday.

Angeles Gonzalez Sinde said experts at Madrid’s Prado National Art Museum have positively identified the painting, “The Wine of St. Martin’s Day,” and are negotiating to buy it from its current owners.

The tempera on linen painting is dated between 1565 and 1568. It depicts a crowd of about 100 people scrambling madly to get a sample of the year’s first vintage from a barrel on St. Martin’s feast day.

The Prado has just one other Bruegel the Elder painting. The museum said that prior to the latest find there were only 40 signed Bruegels in existence.

—?Associated Press

Finally

Renewal: The Lifetime channel has ordered 13 new episodes each of “Army Wives” and “Drop Dead Diva” for 2011.

Award: Ray Harryhausen will receive a lifetime achievement award from the Visual Effects Society at its annual awards dinner Jan. 28.

Name: Actress Portia de Rossi has been granted her request to take wife Ellen DeGeneres’ last name. She’ll now legally be known as Portia Lee James DeGeneres.