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PEOPLE/ARTS Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017
Genealogy show unlocks family secrets for Carly Simon, more

By LYNN ELBER settled in Birmingham, Ala-
AP Television Writer bama, in the 1840s, owned
LOS ANGELES (AP) — If two slaves and fought for
there’s a bigger cheer- the Confederacy in the
leader for genealogy re- Civil War. A hundred years
search than Henry Louis later, many aunts, uncles
Gates Jr. it’s unlikely they’re and cousins on the mater-
nearly as well-connected. nal side of his family died in
The prominent Harvard Nazi Germany’s Holocaust.
professor once again lures But “Finding Your Roots” is
the famous and celebrat- aimed at more than satisfy-
ed to PBS’ “Finding Your ing individual curiosity and
Roots,” which shares their telling an engrossing story,
ancestry and family stories said Gates, an executive
as uncovered by impres- producer and writer as well
sive research and science. as host of the series: It car-
In the fourth season begin- ries a message of shared
ning Tuesday (check local origins that he argues can
listings for time), the three benefit society.
dozen subjects include The science of DNA proves
Scarlett Johansson, Lupita that “there aren’t four or
Nyong’o, Sean Combs, five biologically distinct
Amy Schumer, Garrison races. We’re all from one
Keillor, Aziz Ansari, filmmak- race, the human race, ge- This combination photo shows Carly Simon, left, at the Oceana’s Partners Award Gala on Oct. 30,
er Ava DuVernay, author netically,” Gates said. “And 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif. and Scarlett Johansson at the 71st annual Tony Awards in New York on
Ta-Nehisi Coates and Chris- we know that genetically June 11, 2017.
topher Walken. we all ... descended from Associated Press
Larry David, whom Gates common ancestors that shoe leather as well. black, making the sing- Gates said. A match would
said he’d “bugged” for left the African continent Among the stars with er-songwriter 10 percent show they had a common
three years to go under the 50,000 years ago. That’s standout stories:— Carly black.Her grandmother ancestor.
“Roots” microscope, finally a fact.”Detailing how dif- Simon, who was eager to “invented this crazy story, The candidates were nar-
agreed and discovered ferent ethnic groups con- find out whether her ma- this fabrication, because rowed to a pair of sisters,
that he’s related to Ber- tributed to world history ternal grandmother, who she knew she was from a one of whom proved to
nie Sanders, whom David and how their experiences came to the United States mixed-race heritage, and be Patterson’s mother and
memorably impersonated “merged or conflicted” from Cuba, had her lin- that was very unpopular in who, at 96, was still alive,
on “Saturday Night Live.” with those of other groups eage right: She claimed to the 1950s and ‘60s,” Gates Gates said. A private meet-
Their separate family stories is also of immense value, be the offspring of the king said.— Tea Leoni, who ing was arranged with her
are on the season opener. he said.“It’s part of a larger of Spain and a Moroccan asked the show to focus for Leoni, Patterson and
David said he was reluctant education process to make slave.Researchers trav- on finding the family of her Leoni’s daughter.Research
to have personal details dis- us all realize we’re fully hu- eled to Cuba to search out mother, Emily Patterson, an also revealed Leoni’s bio-
closed on TV but was glad man,” Gates said. Catholic church records adoptee who never knew logical mother’s father,
he finally took part, lauding Advances in DNA testing unavailable online and the names of her biologi- and traced his family back
the “incredible job” done and the increased digitiza- found “an amazing fam- cal parents.Over a period to her seventh great-grand-
by researchers.There were tion of records benefited ily tree,” Gates said, one of months, Patterson’s DNA father, born around 1690,
other revelations that took those who participated this different than expected. was run through databas- and his Virginia-born son
him aback, he said. David year, he said, while some Simon’s grandmother was es that hold DNA results who at one point lived near
learned of ancestors who searches required plain old found to be 40 percent for some 6 million people, George Washington.q
Jackie Chan feels ‘useless’ in

wake of the Las Vegas attack

By NICOLE EVATT The rampage by Stephen Other films canceled and
Associated Press Craig Paddock killed at scaled back promotion in
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ac- least 59 people and injured the wake of the attack in
tion hero Jackie Chan wish- 527 others at the Route 91 Las Vegas — something
es he could have used his Harvest Festival. Chan thought long and
iconic, on-screen martial Chan does get the chance hard about.
arts skills to help those at to battle terrorists in his new “Yes, it is challenging,” he
Sunday’s mass shooting in action-thriller “The Foreign- said of continuing the film’s
Las Vegas. er,” opening Oct. 13. The promotional tour, which
“A lot of young kids say actor takes a dramatic turn includes Thursday’s Los
‘Jackie, you’re a super- as a grief-stricken father Angeles premiere. “Asked
hero. You’re hero.’ I really hunting a rogue IRA cell re- what should I do? Should
want to be any superhero sponsible for an explosion we change? Should we ackie Chan poses for a portrait to promote his film,”The Foreign-
(so) I can fly around the that killed his daughter. cancel? And you know I’m er” at the Four Seasons on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 in Los Angeles.
world, save the people, “I hope through the movie really a foreigner in another Associated Press
beat up the bad people, (to) tell the people stop country. I don’t know what more than martial arts. De Niro. I want to be a Clint
put them in the jail. But this kind of violent things,” to do. “I want to be a true actor. Eastwood,” he explained.
sometimes I watch this, I’m Chan said. “It’s a good You know, what should I I don’t want audiences to “They are true actors, but
just useless. Only thing I can message to tell, stop these say? Anything I can (do to) keep thinking I’m an ac- they can fight!”
do is pray, pray for them,” kind of terror things, stop help?” tion star. One day I’m get- Chan says a romantic lead
Chan said in an interview the bombing, stop hurting At 63, the Hong Kong star is ting old, I cannot fight any- in a musical would be a
Tuesday. innocent people.” hoping to prove he can do more. I want to be a Robert dream gig.q