DANA POINT, California (Reuters) – The top U.S. nuclear official said on Friday his agency has not set any timetable for restarting the troubled San Onofre nuclear station in Southern California and that it would only do so if safety was assured.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Gregory Jaczko made his comments after touring the facility where both reactors have been shut since January due to the discovery of premature wear on tubes in giant steam generators installed in 2010 and 2011.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, involved in ventures that have included attempting to circle the globe in a balloon and selling space travel to the affluent, says people should to have the freedom to get high on Earth without risking going to jail.

The British billionaire argues that criminal punishment fails to stem drug abuse, and is calling on countries to decriminalize drug use and eliminate criminal penalties on narcotics consumers. He argues that countries should even consider legalizing drugs.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, involved in such ventures as selling space travel to the affluent, is now pushing for people to have the freedom to get high here on Earth without risking going to jail.

The British billionaire argues criminal punishment fails to stem drug abuse, and is calling on countries to decriminalize drug use and eliminate criminal penalties on narcotics consumers or even consider legalizing drugs.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Stan Lee is barging into the pages of his own comic book as a character based on himself who rubs elbows with superheroes – call it a cameo for the reality TV age.

His new series “Stan Lee’s Mighty 7″, which hit stores this week, is inspired by reality television and throws into the mix real-life characters – like Lee himself, the creator of such Marvel Comics icons as Spider-Man and The X-Men.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The faithful of Crystal Cathedral will have a choice of where to worship on Sunday — either in the glass-walled Southern California mega-church famous from “Hour of Power” broadcasts or with the daughter of the televangelist who built it.

Sheila Schuller Coleman, whose father is Crystal Cathedral’s founding pastor Robert Schuller and most recently led services at the church, has invited her congregation to join her for worship in a movie theater at an outdoor mall.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Gallagher, the stand-up comedian famous for smashing watermelons, has suffered a heart attack and is recovering in a Texas hospital, a representative from his management office said on Thursday.

Gallagher, 65, was set to perform on Wednesday night at Coach Joe’s Hat Tricks in Lewisville, Texas, when he collapsed backstage. An ambulance took him to a nearby hospital where doctors determined he had suffered a heart attack. He remains there under sedation, said Christine Scherrer, a representative for his manager.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Betty White, the 90-year-old queen of comedy, remained the star with the most audience appeal in 2011 while cross-dressing Tyler Perry of the “Madea” films suffered a setback in a new celebrity poll on Thursday.

The survey from Encino, California-based E-Poll Market Research showed “Hot in Cleveland” star White was the most liked Hollywood celebrity in its survey covering calendar year 2011, a spot she also held in 2010. She was followed by Sandra Bullock and Michael J. Fox.

LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Reuters) – A Los Angeles judge
on Tuesday dismissed former “Desperate Housewives” cast member
Nicollette Sheridan’s battery complaint against the hit TV
show’s creator, Marc Cherry, dealing the actress a setback in
her wrongful termination suit.

The decision by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth
White came as the nearly two week trial approached closing
arguments before a jury.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “Doonesbury” author Garry Trudeau on Friday defended an upcoming strip that one newspaper has rejected and others have questioned because it deals with a Texas abortion law the cartoonist described as “lunacy.”

The law, which went into effect earlier this year and requires abortion providers perform an ultrasound before the procedure, is intended to give pause to pregnant women and possibly reconsider their decision.

LOS ANGELES, March 9 (Reuters) – Around a dozen U.S.
newspapers have raised questions about an abortion-related
“Doonesbury” comic strip set for publication next week, and some
will likely not run it, the syndicate behind the cartoon said on
Friday.

The cartoon’s story line for Monday through Saturday focuses
on a Texas law that requires abortion providers to perform an
ultrasound on pregnant women before the procedure, said Sue
Roush, managing editor for Universal Uclick, the syndicate
behind “Doonesbury.”