CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Major League Baseball announced Thursday that the “Good Morning America” anchor will speak at the May 30 event in Houston before the annual Civil Rights Game. The Houston Astros will host the Baltimore Orioles.

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and football legend Jim Brown also will be honored.

Grammy-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari and rising singer Aloe Blacc, known for the hits “Wake Me Up” and “The Man,” will perform.

The MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon is among the events surrounding the Civil Rights Game that pay tribute to people who fight for equal rights.

The game will air on the MLB Network.

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Paula Deen says she relates to football player Michael Sam and his desire to avoid being labeled.

In an interview with People magazine, Deen quoted Sam as saying he wants to be known as a football player and not a gay football player. The Missouri All-American Sam recently came out as gay. Deen told the magazine she understands his viewpoint and, in her case, worries the words “embattled” or “disgraced” always will be attached to her name.

The celebrity cook’s fortunes fell last year after she admitted during proceedings in a lawsuit that she had used racial slurs in the past. As part of a comeback effort, she’s launched a new company to oversee her restaurants and other ventures.

The 67-year-old Deen called it “amazing” that others face controversies such as hers and come out seemingly unaffected.

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Daphne Oz, a co-host on ABC's daytime program "The Chew," has given birth to a girl.

A representative for the 28-year-old Oz says the baby was born in New York City on Wednesday, weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Oz, the daughter of talk-show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, is married to John Jovanovic. It is the couple's first child.

The baby’s birth was first reported by People magazine.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Singer Harry Belafonte is 87. Actor Robert Conrad is 79. Singer Mike D'Abo of Manfred Mann is 70. Singer Roger Daltrey is 70. Actor Alan Thicke ("Growing Pains") is 67. Actor-director Ron Howard is 60. Country singer Janis Oliver Cummins of Sweethearts of the Rodeo is 60. Actress Catherine Bach ("The Dukes of Hazzard") is 60. Actor Tim Daly is 58. Keyboardist Jon Carroll (Starland Vocal Band) is 57. Bassist Bill Leen (Gin Blossoms) is 52. Actor Bryan Batt ("Mad Men") is 51. Actor George Eads ("C.S.I.") is 47. Actor Javier Bardem is 45. Guitarist Ryan Peake of Nickelback is 41. Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar is 40. "Blues Clues" host Donovan Patton is 36. Singer Sammie is 27. Actress Lupita Nyong'o ("12 Years a Slave") is 21. Singer Justin Bieber is 20.

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