October 12, 1999

BRAD PITT GRACIOUS ABOUT CHARACTER ASSASSINATION

By ROGER ANDERSON Scripps Howard News Service

CELEBRITY DELUSIONS OF PERSECUTION: You, being an ordinary person, probably imagine that major movie stars never have a thing to worry about. If so, what Brad Pitt has to tell Rolling Stone magazine will wise you up in no time.

"I have someone who's gone out of their way to trash my character," Brad says, "and who's very good at it. I know why the person was doing it - out of defense, to save themselves, really. And maybe I've facilitated that. On the other hand, I don't have the East Coast vocabulary in which all I say is packaging."

His packaging-free vocabulary, really, is probably what got him in so much trouble in the first place.

NUDITY IN THE NEWS: What could be happier tidings than that Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, once very estranged indeed, are not only back together but are planning to get hitched all over again? Even happier tidings, perhaps, would be that they plan to stage the ceremony in the altogether.

"Being naked will make us all aware of how much a part of nature we really are," Pam reportedly explained to a British newspaper. Whereupon the New York Daily News contacts Pam's "rep" for comment.

"Pam and Tommy are engaged," this person confirms, "but anything beyond that I cannot comment on." So why are we even talking to you?

FROM SUDS TO BROADWAY: Susan Lucci, having finally been vindicated as a great actress by winning a long overdue Daytime Emmy for her role on "All My Children," is now ready for things that may not be bigger and better but are, at least, different. Specifically, she tells gossip dowager Liz Smith that she's going to replace Bernadette Peters for a three-week run on Broadway in "Annie Get Your Gun." Liz wonders aloud if Susan is scared.

"Not so much now as I was at first," Susan says, taking a deep breath. "The idea of taking over for Bernadette Peters, who is so brilliant, and then the audition, which was VERY scary. But I got the job, so I guess those vocal lessons I've been taking since the beginning of the year paid off. And I'm nuts about Tom Wopat.

Who could be scared knowing they're going to work with such a sensational guy?" If we had the faintest idea who Tom Wopat is, we're sure we would agree with her.

MR. MOODINESS: Speaking of Ben Affleck, first we have a report saying he was rude to reporters at a recent New York premiere, where he even had the unbelievable gall to whine that photographers' strobe lights were "bothering" him!

But then, in a textbook Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation, here he is talking very nicely to the New York Post about reports in the National Enquirer that he and Gwyneth Paltrow are going steady again.

"All I can say is that we're broken up," Ben patiently explains, "and we're friends and I'm happy with it that way."

But when he says that's "all he can say," it really isn't all he can say.

"I'm not going to comment on her life," Ben goes on, "and I HOPE she's not going to comment on mine." What if we told you she said you're a big booger?

ROMANCE, CONTINUED: You, like us, will be happy to hear that George Hamilton and the top-selling novelist Danielle Steel reportedly are an item.

But are they? Because here's the extent of what George will own up to when reached for comment by a journalist.

"She's a very, very special and kind person," he reflects, "and I really like her a lot."

A SUPERSTAR SIGHTING: Speaking of Liz Smith, she has it on good authority that no less a great actor than Marlon Brando made an appearance before "assembled guests and insiders of Hollywood" at the Creative Artists Agency not long ago. Not only that, she got someone who was there to say of Marlon, "He was lucid and eloquent as well as 'on fire.'" We were "on fire" once. Thank goodness someone "put us out."

THE SUPREME SACRIFICE: The beautiful actress Salma Hayek has been garnering notice lately for her role in the controversial Kevin Smith film, "Dogma." Someone from USA Today who was at the premiere ran into her and couldn't help remarking how "stunning" she is in the flick.

"I hope so!" Salvia replied. "I did my best - I did go on a diet for a little bit before the movie."

HAIR IN THE NEWS: Finally, here's word that Cameron Diaz was having problems with her hair as she passed through New York en route to a Vanity Fair cover shoot in Paris, a New York Post "spy". describing it as "torched nearly orange." Fortunately, a top hair colorist named Beth Minardi was on hand to set her to rights. "It wasn't really torched," Beth told the Post later. "Let's just say her hair was not singing any songs."

Singing hair? Sounds like a horror movie.

"She's a knockout girl," Beth explains, "she needs knockout hair." And we need a knockout ending for the column, but this will have to do.

Roger Anderson is arts and entertainment editor at Scripps Howard News Service.

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