August 8, 2000

Liz Hurley denies dissing ex-beau

By ROGER ANDERSON Scripps Howard News Service

A WOMAN SCORNED AND/OR MISQUOTED: Liz Hurley and her longtime boyfriend, Hugh Grant, famously agreed to go their separate ways a few weeks ago, but now someone at Jane magazine is rude enough to "quote" Liz saying that Hugh was "less than adequate" in the sexual-performance department.

Liz is very eager to state that she never said, or, indeed, thought, any such thing.

"He is fantastic in bed," she tells The Sun, a London tabloid.

But she gets much more demonstrative when talking to her namesake, gossip dowager Liz Smith.

“That statement is an utter lie!” she shrieks via trans-Atlantic phone call. "I would never, ever say one unkind word about Hugh, who I still love almost more than anybody in the world. I mean, the article said Hugh watched TV in bed. We don't even have a telly in the bedroom!”

"I am terribly upset, but mostly for Hugh's sake. He was always fantastic. And I will get to the bottom of this, I promise you.” Hey, don't look at us.

THE NEW FAMILY: You know, of course, that Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are not only expecting a child together but have definite plans to become married sometime after the bambino comes to light. What you don't know, maybe, is what Michael's son Cameron, age 21, has to say about the whole thing.

"I'm so happy for my father and Catherine that I don't care if it's a boy or a girl," Cameron tells a reporter. "I don't think they've really set the (wedding) date yet. I think Catherine wants to slim down first before she puts on a wedding dress.”

THE WRITER'S ART: Novelist Jay McInerney may not write the best books in the world every time he sets pen to paper, but he is pretty unsurpassed at getting mentioned in the New York tabloid press. For instance, here we have the New York Post observing that Jay recently decided to give up on the Cuba‑themed novel he's been working on - but why?

“I wanted to work a time theme," Jay explains, "with Cuba frozen in 1959. But I think I missed my chance. You can have the most authentic 1950s vintage cars sweeping down a crumbling Havana boulevard, but if the passengers are yipping away on cell phones, it really ruins the nostalgic atmosphere." So falsify your material like other writers and quit whining!

MODERN DIVORCE: More proof that famous and/or royal persons don't have to stay at daggers drawn once they put the quietus to their marriages comes in the form of word that Sarah Ferguson and her former husband, Prince Andrew, currently are availing themselves of the services of the same fitness expert, Josh Salzman. People mag even says Fergie 'n' Andy's sessions with Josh sometimes follow hard upon each other.

CASTING NOTES FROM ALL OVER: Fresh from his quasi-triumph in the moderately successful movie "The X-Men," Patrick Stewart - he of the hairless pate and stentorian manner, both of which served him well on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - says he's talking to filmmakers about maybe starring in the movie version of those highly popular "Harry Potter" tales, but not, presumably, as the boy wizard of the title.

ROMANTIC GOSSIP: Matthew McConaughey hasn't been much in the news since the time he was arrested playing the conga drums while unclothed, but now we're hearing that he's got something going with a woman named Salli Richardson.

In light of the fact that reps for both these beautiful young people strongly deny that their clients are anything more than "friends," we would like to invoke a few pertinent names.

Billy Bob Thornton and Laura Dern

Jennifer Lopez and Sean "Puffy" Combs.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Reps for every single one of them issued similar denials when word of each pairing was first bruited. We leave the matter to you.

READY FOR THE POP QUIZ?: Name the TV show in which Matthew's "friend" Salli appears each week.

A:           "The X-Files."

B:           "Survivor."

C:          "Family Law."

The answer is C, but don't get complacent. Harder questions are in your future.

EEEEKKK!: Now that Michelle Pfeiffer is appearing in the scary film "What Lies Beneath," it's no surprise that she's got something to say to a reporter about her long-term experience with movies of that genre.

“Just ask my husband,”  Michelle says, referring to David E. Kelley, mastermind of "Ally McBeal” and "The Practice." "I'm such a good target at horror films. I'm so gullible. I've actually been the only one in a crowded audience to let out a blood-curdling scream.” That must be awfully embarrassing for poor David.

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

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