Names and faces

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ray Liotta hopes "Hannibal" will be his comeback film.

Liotta plays a Justice Department official out to sabotage the career of FBI agent Clarice Starling in the sequel to "The Silence of The Lambs."

"I definitely hit a lull that I'm coming out of, no question about it. I think it's just the nature of the business, the nature of the beast," he told reporters recently.

"You always hear about the ups and downs of a career, and luckily the down wasn't too down but luckily the highs haven't been too high either."

The 45-year-old actor starred in 1990's "Goodfellas," which was nominated for a best picture Oscar. He went on to make "Operation Dumbo Drop" in 1995 and "Muppets From Space" in 1999.

Philbin gives millions

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- He usually hands out millions of dollars on prime-time television, but this time, Regis Philbin is giving $2.75 million to his alma mater.

The emcee of the ABC game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and co-host of the morning talk show "Live with Regis & Kelly" has donated the money to create a studio theater in the University of Notre Dame's performing arts center.

The Regis Philbin Studio Theatre will be the home for laboratory and performance-art productions in Notre Dame's department of film, television and theatre. The 100-seat facility will feature sophisticated lighting and sound systems and has been designed for maximum technical and seating flexibility.

Construction will begin later this year and is expected to be completed in 2003.

Philbin is a 1953 Notre Dame graduate. He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university in 1999 in recognition of his previous gifts in support of Notre Dame scholarships.

Eminem admired

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- British pop singer Melanie C said she'd like to perform with rapper Eminem, despite his recent comments criticizing the Spice Girls.

"I'd love to work with Eminem. I think Eminem's great," said the 27-year-old singer, also known as Sporty Spice. "Of course some of his lyrics are very questionable but I admire him as an artist ... It would be an interesting collaboration."

She also said she'd be happy to team up with Madonna.

Melanie C was in Greece as part of a world tour to promote her solo album "Northern Star" and made the comments during an online news conference on Saturday hosted by Greece's private Flash radio.

Eminem, who has angered gays and women's groups with his lyrics, criticized the Spice Girls during a visit to Britain last week. "They are all fat and ugly now," he told the BBC's Radio 1.

Melanie C denied rumors that the Spice Girls were close to breaking up but said they had "no plans to work together at the moment."