Millions Flock To See Stern's 'Private Parts'


Sunday March 9 3:59 PM EST 

Millions Flock To See Stern's 'Private Parts'

LOS ANGELES, March 9 (Reuter) - Outspoken radio humorist Howard Stern
extended his influence to the U.S. box office during the weekend as
his romantic comedy "Private Parts" opened in the top position with an
estimated $15.1 million. 

The feat represents another medium conquered with relative ease by the
syndicated morning radio host whose top-rated show mixes outrageous
sexual fantasies with blunt-spoken libertarian politics. 

Stern, the self-proclaimed "king of all media," has already published
two best-selling autobiographies, put together a racy pay-per-view
cable show that grossed $40 million and made a big foray into
television. 

According to Paramount Pictures, which released the movie, "Private
Parts" averaged $7,063 from 2,138 screens during the weekend. The
movie's gross includes about $800,000 from 671 theatres that screened
the film late on Thursday night. 

Rob Friedman, who heads marketing at the studio, said the movie came
in at the high end of expectations. "We would have been happy with
anything above $10 million," he said. The movie polled favorably
across the country, not just in the markets that feature his radio
show, Friedman said. 

The movie will open internationally in May/June, and Stern -- a
self-confessed xenophobe who hates leaving his Long Island, NY home --
will venture to Europe at that time to woo moviegoers, Friedman said. 

The top 10 contained just one other new entry, the Tim Allen comedy
vehicle "Jungle 2 Jungle," which is released by Walt Disney Co. The
movie opened in second with an estimated $12.7 million from 2,316
screens, or a healthy average of $5,484. 

Last weekend's number one, "The Empire Strikes Back," fell to fourth
with $8.0 million from 2,109 screens. It averaged $3,793. After three
weeks in re-release, the movie has earned $51.7 million. Its lifetime
domestic gross, since its original release in 1980, is $274.4 million.

Third place went to the mob picture "Donnie Brasco," starring Al
Pacino and Johnny Depp. The movie earned $8.2 million from 1,593
screens, an addition of 90 screens since the movie opened last weekend
in second. It averaged $5,148 this weekend. The movie's 10-day total
is $23.7 million. 

Also down a notch, to fifth, was "Booty Call," an urban romantic
comedy that opened on February 26. It earned $$4.25 million from 1,272
screens, taking its total to $14 million. 

Copyright Reuters/Variety 

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