September 19, 2000

Liz Hurley wins in war of words with
Jane mag

By ROGER ANDERSON Scripps Howard News Service

STOP THE PRESSES? A few weeks ago the big "news" was that Jane magazine had quoted Liz Hurley as saying, in effect, that ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant's lovemaking skills left much to be desired, with Liz subsequently claiming all over the place that she had never issued any such canard and Jane mag top editor Jane Pratt sticking to her guns. Now Jane's guns seem to have come unstuck as the New York Daily News reports that she's done an about-face, conceding for the record that the audiotapes of Liz's interview "contain no derogatory statement by Ms. Hurley about Mr. Grant." Nothing like a call from a high-priced lawyer to enhance the sound quality of such tapes.

TRUMP WOMEN: Meantime, here's a report that lvana Trump was very upset recently when her pet, a 10-year-old miniature black poodle (you'd think Ivana could afford a full-size one), turned up missing. Fortunately, some anonymous do-gooder happened across the pooch and took it to a vet. Even more fortunately, the vet turned out to be the very practitioner who normally cares for the four-legged charmer.

The upshot is that Nana says she wants to reward the rescuer with a cash gift of $1,000 if and when that person steps forward.

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Pick the sentence that actually was printed in People magazine.

1. “Terminator 2's" Edward Hilton was spotted hanging out with hotel heir Paris Palmas at La Hilton, an L.A. supper club.
2. "Terminator 2's" Edward Palmas was spotted hanging out with Hilton Paris at Furlong, an L.A. supper club.
3. “Terminator 2's" Edward Furlong was spotted hanging out with hotel heiress Paris Hilton at Las Palmas, an L.A. supper club.

The answer is 3. If you guessed 1 or 2, your driver's license is hereby revoked.

TV NOTES FROM ALL OVER: As you know, Geena Davis is the latest ex-movie star to throw in the towel and take a job in series TV, obviously figuring that being a big fish in the small television pond beats the heck out of being a small, chronically unemployed fish in that big body of water known as theatrical moviemaking. In any case, gossip dowager Liz Smith happens to run into Geena, who offers this breathless statement about the work involved in her new undertaking.

"It has been so much fun," Geena says. "I had no idea I would enjoy doing television like this. We have five shows in the can and I am ready to go." So are we, but we have to finish the column first.

MORE TV NOTES FROM ALL OVER: Alex Kingston, the British lady who used to be married to no less an art-house stud muffin than Ralph Fiennes, will have a word or two to say in the pages of Parade when the mag hits the sidewalks and lawns of the U.S. on Sunday, especially with regard to "ER," the popular NBC television program in which she plays a doctor who talks funny.

"It's official that we'll be back next year," Alex observes, quite as though everyone in the world didn't already know that. "I hope it goes on and on. And when it ends, I probably won't want to return to England. I'll work there - I'm not washing my hands of my own country. But there's an amazing energy here (in the U.S.). This country is enormous, so many travel opportunities. England is so insular."

Of course, Alex is quite right to say so, because England is an island, and the root of "insular" is "insula," Latin for "island."

"Just compare your cities, L.A. to Chicago to New York, all so different."

Sorry, Alex, we thought you were finished.

"I don't know if I'd apply for citizenship," Alex goes on (and on and on). "But I've been here on a visa. Now I'm applying for my green card."

We hope you'll keep us posted on all that, Alex, and now if you don't mind...

GALS, CONTINUED: Sarah Michelle Geller of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame was supposed to be involved with throwing a big pre-Emmy party at La Boheme in West Hollywood a couple of weeks ago, but she had to deal with one conspicuous no-show - herself.

Kim Catrall of "Sex and the City" was there, as were David Schwimmer ("Friends") and Bill Maher ("Politically Incorrect") - but no Sarah! Someone at People mag therefore contacts Marisa McGrath, a Sarah publicist, in hopes of obtaining information about the star's odd absence.

"She had the stomach flu."

We're going to need to see a note from her doctor.

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

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