Page 2, National Report

National Story, 05/03/94

Bolton calls jury ruling 'mind-boggling'

NEW YORK--Michael Bolton plans to ask a judge to overturn a finding that
he stole an old Isley Brothers song for his 1991 hit, "Love is a Wonderful
Thing."

Bolton denounced last week's jury verdict that he and co-writer Andrew
Goldmark had plagiarized elements of a 1966 Isley Brothers song of the
same name. He said neither he nor Goldmark had ever heard the song.

"We're not talking about a hit, we're talking about obscurity," Bolton
said at a news conference. "It's mind-boggling."

The Los Angeles jury awarded the Isley Brothers 66 percent of all past and
future royalties from the single, and credited the song with 28 percent of
the success of Bolton's album, "Time, Love and Tenderness."

The court said it would appoint someone to determine the net profits of
the song and album, and the percentages to which the plaintiffs would be
entitled.

Bolton said he could not estimate what that meant, other than "it's got to
be in millions." The 1991 album has sold over 10 million copies.

Rejection letters spur contest at college

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--Business student Scott Caudill received a rejection
letter from a computer manufacturer that really stung. It thanked him for
an interview he never even had.

But it wasn't a big enough gaffe to win the second annual "Ugly Rejection
Letter Contest."

That dubious honor went to a letter received by senior Tom Maguire from a
financial services firm. The letter said he wouldn't be hired, but "we
hope you will consider referring others to us as applicants for employment
or as clients."

The University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce's contest helps
ease the tension that is particular to this time of year.

"The idea of the whole thing is to say, 'You're not alone,' " Maguire
said.

The contest, which ran throughout the spring, received letters with
grammatical errors, misspellings, gender confusion and nonsense.

A panel of judges sorted through the "don't call us" mail.

In the spirit of the season and the job market, a university hangout
offered a free drink for every five rejection letters presented by a
student.

Ron Morse, owner of the Greenskeeper, estimated more than 400 students
packed the restaurant for the April 20 promotion. One student came armed
with 80 rejection letters.

Judge drops charges against Nicholson

LOS ANGELES--A judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against Jack
Nicholson after the man who accused him of bashing his Mercedes with a
golf club said he didn't want to proceed.

The actor had been scheduled to be arraigned, but Robert Blank told the
judge he was satisfied with Nicholson's apology and the settlement of a
lawsuit. Terms of the March settlement have not been disclosed.

After being cut off in traffic Feb. 8, authorities said, Nicholson became
enraged and used a golf club to dent the roof and smash the windshield of
Blank's Mercedes-Benz at a red light.

Municipal Judge Martin Suits dismissed the two misdemeanor counts of
assault and vandalism over objections from Deputy City Attorney Jeff
Harkavy.

Nicholson wasn't present at the hearing.

Nicholson's screen credits include "Easy Rider" in 1969, "A Few Good Men"
in 1992 and the 1975 "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," for which he won
the Academy Award as best actor.