Names and faces

LITTLE ROCK — Fred Willard, 72, will be allowed to enroll in counseling courses to resolve a lewd-conduct arrest that cost the actor a television job. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office determined that Willard’s case was eligible for a diversion program that will keep him from being formally charged with lewd conduct if he completes the required courses, said spokesman Frank Mateljan. Willard, best-known as the announcer in the film Best in Show, was arrested Wednesday night at a Hollywood adult theater on accusations of committing a lewd act. Hours later he was fired as the narrator of Market Warriors, a show produced by Boston public television station WGBH. The actor will pay $380 for the diversion program, which is run by a private vendor and may include sessions on decision-making and sex-related crimes. Mateljan said the case against Willard is viable, and the actor could still be charged if he does not complete the diversion program. The actor said in a video posted Thursday by celebrity website TMZ that there was a misunderstanding and denied wrongdoing.

Fire officials in San Jose, Calif., said 21 people at an event hosted by motivational speaker

Tony Robbins suffered burns while walking across hot coals, and three of the injured were treated at hospitals. The injuries occurred during the first day of a four-day weekend event at the San Jose Convention Center hosted by Robbins called “Unleash the Power Within.” Most of those hurt had second- and third-degree burns, said San Jose Fire Department Capt. Reggie Williams. Walking across hot coals heated to between 1,200 and 2,000 degrees provides attendees an opportunity to “understand that there is absolutely nothing you can’t overcome,” according to the motivational speaker’s website. Robbins Research International said in a written statement that 6,000 attendees of the event walked across the coals Thursday. Organizers had an “open burn permit.”