NAMES & FACES

The Obamas' Night Out

When you're president, it's not too hard to take date night to the next level.

Last night, for the first time, President Obama took first lady Michelle Obama to sit in the president's box at the Kennedy Center -- along with daughters Malia and Sasha.

The Obamas stayed for the entire 2 1/4 -hour performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the center's sold-out Opera House. They were accompanied by Attorney General Eric Holder and his wife, Sharon Malone, and Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and his wife, Michelle.

According to a pool press report, some audience members hung over the balcony above the box in an attempt to shake hands with the president.

In other first family firsts, the Obamas -- including the first lady's mother, Marian Robinson -- will visit the presidential retreat at Camp David this weekend.

Christian Bale Apologizes

Actor Christian Bale offered a lengthy apology yesterday for delivering a curse-laden rant, audio from which hit the Internet earlier this week.

"I was out of order beyond belief," Bale said in an interview on KROQ-FM in Los Angeles. "I acted like a punk. I regret that," adding, "I make no excuses for it. It is inexcusable."

The taped rant -- a four-minute, profanity-laced verbal assault on Shane Hurlbut, director of photography on "Terminator Salvation" -- took place last July, when Hurlbut accidentally entered Bale's sight lines during filming. Among other pleasantries, Bale is heard calling Hurlbut "a [expletive] amateur" and threatening to quit the film if Hurlbut were not fired.

"We have resolved this completely," Bale said of Hurlbut. "When I'm saying I'm not coming back on that set if he's still hired, you know what? That's hot air. I don't believe that. I have no intention of getting anybody fired."

So why the anger? Bale said he was in an emotional state of mind for the benefit of his character, and "sometimes that enthusiasm goes awry."

"I made it ugly, and that was awful of me," Bale said. "Please do not allow my one-time lapse in judgment, my incredibly embarrassing meltdown, to overshadow this movie."