BITS AND PIECES 12/01
Billie
--Lifetime's "Intimate Portrait" of Elizabeth Taylor airs tomorrow (7-9 p.m.)
and includes interviews with The Post's Liz Smith, Joan Collins, Carrie Fisher,
Robert Wagner and Janet Leigh.
NY POST/PAGE SIX...
--IT took a year, but Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst has repaired some of the
damage after breaking a roadie’s nose. Back in November 2001, lighting
technician Connie Paulson sued Durst for $5 million, claiming he threw a
microphone at her in a "fit of rage" and caused a broken nose and the loss of a
tooth. But on Tuesday, the clerk at L.A. Superior Court learned that Durst and
Paulson had settled for an undisclosed payout. "It was an unfortunate
accident," said Durst’s lawyer, Ed McPherson. "Fred came to the plate right
from the beginning. He visited her in the hospital, he paid her medical bills,
and he kept her on salary."
--Blind tenor Andrea Bocelli, who got a divorce from his wife last year, has a
new girlfriend, Italian beauty Veronica Berdi.
--SCIENTISTS around the globe are denouncing best-selling author Michael
Crichton’s new novel, "Prey," as uninformed drivel. The American Association
of Science, together with top German researchers in nanotechnology, have issued
a press release slamming Crichton’s much-anticipated book about man-made
organisms that feed on human flesh. The release’s authors say that
Crichton’s ham-fisted handling of the emerging science of nanotechnology
could spread panic and cause their funding to be cut. "Scientifically
unreasonable scenarios like the ones in ‘Prey’ could really harm the
field," physicist Wolfgang Heckl tells the Toronto Globe & Mail. "If enough
senators in the U.S. get phone calls from their constituents saying, ‘I just
read "Prey" and I’m scared,’ it could have a real impact on our funding."
Crichton responds on his Web site: "Just as war is too important to be left to
the generals, science is too important to be left to the scientists."
--ILEANA Douglas dining with designer Cynthia Rowley at Bottino . . .
--ABC newsman Chris Cuomo stocking up on cords and sweaters at the Lacoste
boutique on Madison Avenue . . .
--SNOOP Dogg and Busta Rhymes doing a freestyle, unprompted rap to a cheering
crowd at NV in SoHo . . .
--ANNE Heche’s husband, Coley Laffoon, doffing his hat to several women upon
his arrival at Doubles.
--TIGER Woods is nearly as talented a card player as he is a golfer. Woods was
down $400,000 when he walked away from the tables at the MGM Grand Mansion the
other night. But when he returned after a brief rest a few hours before his 9
a.m. flight out of town, he hit a winning streak playing multiple hands at
$10,000 a pop. By the time he made his plane, Woods had not only won back his
$400,000, but topped it with an additional $80,000, reports the Las Vegas
Review Journal.
--LOS Angeles model Lisa Wilson has stopped walking the catwalks in favor of
her crochet needles. Along with her partner, Kristen Winnicki, Wilson started a
custom hat company, iLids, a year ago and has quickly gained the attention of
Pamela Anderson and Charlize Theron. Part of the hats’ allure is Wilson’s
and Winnicki’s claim their bonnets attract men - and have different types of
hats to attract different types of men. If only it were so easy.
NY DAILY NEWS/RUSH AND MOLLY....
Joan Collins has kissed off four husbands and twice as many lovers. But through
it all she and her spokesman, Jeffrey Lane, have remained devoted to each
other. Until now. "I don't represent her anymore," Lane confirmed when we
called to ask about their breakup after almost 30 years. "It was my choice. I
released her from our contract." Why the two came undone is a matter of
speculation. Allies of Lane say that, after years of acting as chief steward on
her star trip, even he could no longer tolerate the bitchiness of the
69-year-old "Dynasty" star. Allies of Collins say that it's Lane who's playing
the diva. "I think he's just lost it," says one. "He's going around saying that
CBS dropped her from 'The Guiding Light,' when it was Joan's decision not to
renew the contract." People on both sides of the battle suspect that money is a
factor in the falling-out, which happened about two weeks ago. Lane - who also
represents George Hamilton, Burt Reynolds, Diahann Carroll, Ann-Margret and
Suzanne Pleshette - will say only, "I don't think it's attractive to go into
issues that should remain private. I don't want to fan the fire." Collins, who
flew to London on Friday, couldn't be reached for comment. One rumor that we
can put to rest is that she and her fifth husband, Percy Gibson, are in
trouble. The theatrical manager recently told a friend, "My old lady and I
aren't going to last past the new year." It happens that he's working on Israel
Horovitz's play "My Old Lady," which may close in January. He and Joan are
doing fine.
--JODIE FOSTER has found a guy to replace Russell Crowe in "Flora Plum," the
movie she's directing about a penniless girl taken in by a circus freak.
--Ewan McGregor, who knows something about trapezes after "Moulin Rouge," is
due to take over for Crowe, who left the project after injuring his shoulder
during rehearsals ...
NY DAILY NEWS/MICHAEL GROSS...
--Jennifer Nicholson, 39, Jack Nicholson's only child born in wedlock, is now
on her fourth career — as a fashion designer. Before turning to the rag
trade, she worked as a set designer, an actress and an interior decorator (her
clients included Courtney Love and good ole dad, whose latest flick is "About
Schmidt"). "Fortunately, I didn't have to decorate his bedroom," Jennifer says.
"It's been the same since 1963, only the art over the bed is now worth $1
million instead of $100." Let's hope he changes the sheets now and then.
--The city was a swirl of parties the other night. The King Kong Room opened at
Times Square's Supper Club. Evelyn Lauder and watchmaker Audemars Piguet teamed
up at at Guastavino's to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As
actresses Izabella Miko and Estella Warren watched the acrobats, Lauder eyed
the barely-clad La Perla models and sighed. "You need a sense of humor to be in
the same room as them," she said. A few blocks away at Vue, Michael Crichton
was celebrating the publication of his novel "Prey." As projected
nanoparticles, the book's biovillains, seemed to sweep across the club's
interior dome, The Word asked Crichton whether he thought they resembled the
swarms of fans lined up to meet him. The world's tallest author shrugged when
he realized he was expected to make a joke. "I'm quip-free," he said. "My sense
of humor has been surgically removed."
--After the last dismal winter, the people who run the fashionable Caribbean
island of St. Barthelemy were so concerned that they took the unprecedented
step of flying to New York en masse to promote tourism. They needn't have
worried. If this Thanksgiving weekend is any indication, St. Barts is back with
a vengeance. On Turkey Day, Flamands, the beach in front of the Hotel St. Barth
Isle de France, resembled a good night at Da Silvano, shock jock Howard Stern,
tanning with his blond squeeze, Beth Ostrosky.
Las Vegas Review-Journal/NORM CLARKE
--Andy Warhol's celebrity portraits are on their way to Las Vegas. Warhol's
collection will follow the Faberge Eggs exhibition at The Bellagio Gallery of
Fine Art, starting Feb. 7. Co-curators Andrea Bundonis and Mark Glimcher are
over the moon about their good fortune in being able to line up Liza Minnelli
to narrate the audio tour. "From the beginning, she was interested because she
was so close to Warhol," said Bundonis. Minnelli, winner of an Oscar, three
Tony Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy, will incorporate anecdotes
and personal stories, revisiting the days of Studio 54 and The Factory, the
name of Warhol's studio. Andy Warhol: The Celebrity Portraits will include 56
of his paintings and works on paper. Bundonis said the works include Jacqueline
Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Dennis Hopper, Mao Tse-tung, Marlon
Brando, Deborah Harry, Sylvester Stallone and Michael Jackson. The Faberge Eggs
exhibition closes Jan. 26. Warhol's art will remain on view through Sept. 7,
2003.
--A grieving John Daly took out some of his frustration on the golf course
during the Australian PGA last week. Daly tossed his putter and ball into a
pond at the 18th green and was disqualified when he failed to sign his
scorecard. His mother, Anna Lou Daly, 65, of Dardanelle, Ark., died Nov. 20 at
Lake Mead Hospital in Las Vegas. Daly said he went out on the tour confident
his mother would make it through the holidays. "She'd been suffering for about
three months," Daly told the Australian media. "It was lung cancer, and it
spread to the brain. We took her to Vegas thinking there might be some hope,
that they might be able to cure it, but she fell asleep and never woke up. At
least she didn't suffer," Daly said.
--There are rumblings that Michael Jackson will be attending the Billboard
Music Awards on Dec. 9 at the MGM Grand and that he plans to continue
discussions for a headliner show at a so-far unnamed Strip property. He is in
the Billboard program to mark the 20th anniversary of his "Thriller" album. ...
--Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, among a party of eight, including J.Lo's
mother and grandmother, attending the 10:30 p.m. performance of "Mystere"
(Bellagio) Friday night.
--"Charlie's Angels" Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu having a
devilish time at Club Paradise on Friday after taking in the Rolling Stones at
the Hard Rock Hotel. Diaz picked out a stripper and paid her for a lap dance
for Barrymore. ...
--Kiefer Sutherland of the hit TV show "24" using a cane during his red-carpet
appearance at the Stones' show Friday. He told Angie Anderson, news anchor for
the Johnson & Tofte show (KSFN-radio, AM 1140), that he twisted his knee during
shooting.
--At the Hard Rock to catch the Stones or attending the after-party at Simon
Kitchen & Bar: Mick Jagger, Bruce Willis, Diaz, Liu, Barrymore, Estella Warren
with Peter Berg, Stephen Dorff, Gisele Bundchen, Lara Flynn Boyle, Nils
Lofgren, and Luke and Owen Wilson, who starred in "Meet the Parents" and was
creating a buzz for another meeting: with one of the "X" girls, Catherine True,
from the show of the same name at the Aladdin. ...
--Laura San Giacomo of the "Just Shoot Me" TV series, taking in the Scintas
(Rio) on Friday night. ...
--Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and son Jaden, touring Opportunity Village's
Magical Forest on Thursday night. ...
--J.Lo and Ben at Club Rio (Rio) Thursday night, dancing up a storm and looking
very much in love at Latin Libido Night. ...
--Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks at Michael's (Barbary Coast) for
Thanksgiving.
U ENTERTAINMENT...
By Elizabeth Snead
Tinseltown Spywitness
--Chad Lowe and Natasha Henstridge (not together) at the Christmas tree
lighting festivities at the Grove shopping center.
--Natasha Henstridge and Christina Applegate at Olga Lorencin's Kinara
spa/cafe/gift shop on North Robertson Boulevard.
--Carol Burnett having dinner at the Gardens on Glendon Avenue in Westwood.
--Paul McCartney at the Bristol Farms on Beverly Boulevard and Doheny Drive
buying fresh vegetables and flowers.
--Jodie Foster, in cords, sweat shirt and sunglasses, crossing Melrose Avenue
after a late breakfast at trendy Urth Cafe.
ASSOCIATED PRESS...
--Robbie Williams has given a secret concert in Amsterdam for a select 200 fans
who won tickets in a radio quiz, Dutch media reported. The former member of boy
band Take That sang songs from his new CD "Escapology" in a television studio
on Friday night, recording a show to be broadcast in the Netherlands next
month, news agency ANP said on Saturday. The location was shrouded in secrecy
to prevent uninvited fans showing up. Ticket winners had to present themselves
at a closely guarded address before being taken by bus to the studio. Williams,
28, last month signed a new deal with music giant EMI which record industry
sources called the biggest in British music history. It was worth around $124
million.
--Robert De Niro will show his new comedy, "Analyze That," to 1,500 troops at
MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., two days before the movie opens in
theaters. Before Wednesday's screening, De Niro will join Gen. Tommy Franks,
head of the U.S. Central Command, in meeting with troops involved in the war on
terror in Afghanistan and elsewhere. "Analyze That" is the first in a series of
screenings for military personnel planned through the Tribeca Film Institute,
which De Niro co-founded with his business partner, Jane Rosenthal. De Niro
reprises his role as mob boss Paul Vitti from the 1999 hit "Analyze This."
Billy Crystal also is back as Paul's neurotic therapist, Ben Sobel. The movie
comes out Friday in theaters nationwide. http://www.tribecafilm.com
"STUPIDITY IS NOT A HANDICAP. Park elsewhere!"
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Peter J.
>--Laura San Giacomo of the "Just Shoot Me" TV series, taking in the Scintas
>(Rio) on Friday night. ...
>
How sad that Laura, independent film headliner in her heyday, is now supposed
to be such an unknown that she's identified only by her tv show (that has run
about 3 or 4 years too long).