people in the news 10-15

Slater hoping his ABC drama the forgotten' isn't

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - Christian Slater remains calm during his staring contest with a menacing dog.

While filming a scene for his new ABC crime drama, "the forgotten," the 40-year-old actor locks his eyes on a barky Rottweiler while his character, former detective Alex Donovan, questions the dog's owner.

Later, during a break in filming, Slater says the acting pooch was a total pro.

"It's actually really nice when the dog shows up and he's ready and prepared, and he definitely hit his cues and knew his lines," Slater jokes. "He was perfect. He gave me a lot to work with. It's like a tennis match, being an actor, and you're only as good as the people you're playing opposite against, and today I have to really take my hat off to this dog."

Slater was drawn to "the forgotten" because of executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of "Without a Trace," "Cold Case" and the "CSI" franchise. However, it was the show's team of Average Joes and Janes who solve crimes involving John and Jane Does that piqued Slater's interest.

"This was kind of an interesting angle by making these people not necessarily experts," Slater says. "I mean, they really are people like you and me. They're not a 'CSI' team, for example. They really are just human beings. These are real people willing to do something in a volunteer type of fashion that, I think, at the end of the day, is very, very noble."

Since "the forgotten" debuted last month, CBS' political drama "The Good Wife" has been taking a big bite out of the Tuesday-night audience. It's a foe Slater knows all too well. His first TV series, last season's NBC spy thriller "My Own Worst Enemy," struggled to find an audience early on.

Taylor Swift on cloud 9 after 6 AMA nods

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Taylor Swift says she is "absolutely walking on a cloud" over her six nominations for the American Music Awards.

"I've never been nominated six times for any award show," the country star said Tuesday before a benefit concert in Nashville. "This is just such a wonderful day for me."

Her tally, announced on Oct. 13, even beat late superstar Michael Jackson, with five nods and rapper Eminem, with four.

"It's the 13th today, and 13 is my lucky number, and that's when I found out about the AMAs. It's like, I swear, good things happen on the 13th for me, and I can't believe all those nominations."

The 19-year-old is up for the AMA's big award, artist of the year, alongside Jackson, Lady Gaga, Eminem, and rock band Kings of Leon.

The nominees were selected through a combination of sales and radio airplay. American Music Award winners are determined by online fan voting and will be announced during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Nov. 22, airing on ABC.