People

JULIA ROBERTS TAPPED TO HOST A&E SPECIAL

The actress so often referred to as "America's sweetheart," Julia Roberts, has reportedly signed with the Arts & Entertainment Network to host a documentary special to be called "Old Friends." The cable network says the program will examine the special relationships among three women who grew up 80 or so years ago in a small suburb of Chicago. Tamar Hacker will serve as the documentary's executive producer. The production will be managed by Revolution Studios with the help of Shoelace Productions, which is owned by Roberts.

ROLE OF RIVERA IN WAR ZONE DEBATED

It's never been easy being a war correspondent. You need only walk through the halls of Indiana University's journalism department and see the tributes to Hoosier-born correspondent Ernie Pyle, for whom the building is named. Pyle, an immensely popular reporter -- famous for his use of on-the-scene interviews with real GIs and his book "Here Is Your War" -- died when hit by enemy sniper fire while covering WWII in the Pacific. Soldiers who saw it happen erected a plaque to his honor, simply calling him "buddy." But what about controversial journalist Geraldo Rivera reporting from Afghanistan ... toting a gun. Isn't the image of the journalist one of a reporter willing to risk the eventualities of war armed only with a pen or tape recorder or sketchpad? Well, journalist Peter Arnett, famous for his under-fire reporting of the Gulf War for CNN, says that it sets a bad precedent. Appearing on Fox, Arnett noted that if "word gets out that a journalist is carrying a gun, it makes it difficult for everyone." During the interview, when Arnett was asked if he had carried a gun during his reporting, he nodded "yes," with the implication that at least no one was aware of it.

TRITT INCLUDES CANCER VICTIM IN VIDEO

Earlier I reported that country star Travis Tritt had enlisted the help of movie maker Billy Bob Thornton in filming his newest video, "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde." Thornton plays a gunman who, with the help of his girlfriends, holds up a convenience store. Now the news provider country.com says Tritt also cast an 18-year-old former dancer who is suffering from ovarian cancer in a role. Young Melanie Wright's appearance was arranged through the efforts of the CMT Network and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Sony music and Tritt. The video was shot this week in remote sections of the Mojave Desert in California.

PETA CHOOSES SINGER FOR NEW CAMPAIGN

If you were the press person for the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and needed a poster girl for your "I'd Rather Go Naked than Wear Fur Campaign," whom would you pick? Well, it would seem natural that Britney Spears, the barely-out-of-high-school star who shocks parents by sending a horrible signal to her barely pubescent fans with her gyrations, inuendo-filled lyrics and skimpy outfits would jump at the chance to pose. The New York Post says that PETA's announcement comes just months after it roundly criticized the singer for appearing on the MTV Awards beside a caged tiger. After doing her "180" on the use of fur, she will additionally pose in imitation leather and faux fur products on the organization's Web site.

GIULIANI WITH A NEW JERSEY DRIVER LICENSE?

The world knows Rudolph Giuliani as "Mr. Mayor." He is, of course, the city executive who so won the hearts of people by "getting his hands dirty" in the wake of the 9/11 disaster that even long-time foe Ed Koch praised him. Now, according to at least one report, the man so associated with The Big Apple may be headed for New Jersey when his term runs out. Columnist Neal Travis says there are reports that His Honor will move across the Hudson, buy a home there and eventually run for the Senate, a la Hillary Rodham Clinton -- carpetbagger charges notwithstanding. Some are speculating that should he win, his new high-visibility role could stand him in good stead to be picked by President Bush as veep in the event Dick Cheney is unable to serve or opts out. Meanwhile, Travis says that were Giuiliani to run against incumbent Sen. Robert Torricelli next year, Guiliani would be able to assume a "Mr. Clean" image in the campaign.

COLLEGE TEAMS AWAIT BOWL BIDS

Except for an extraordinary year for the Miami Hurricanes, a lot of football players at major schools are still wondering who will get the call for the ton of bowl games that will be played in the coming weeks. The ratings have churned and vacillated this season to the point that sportswriter Justin Brown, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, says that the rankings have "turned over more (this year) than a rotisserie chicken." What this all means is that a lot of kids playing ball, their coaches, family and friends don't have the usual clue as to whether they will get the magic call from bowl promoters this time around. Even the relatively new BCS system of ranking college teams -- computer-driven with the help of two major news agencies -- only sees Miami at the top of the pack and then a passel of also-rans. In many ways the season's remaining games are more important for a lot of the teams, their players and the schools' financial interests than usual.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 224

Today's question comes from a discussion I once heard between the "gossip twins," Dear Abby and Ann Landers. One mentioned that the most strident mail she ever received was during a debate about how to put a roll of bathroom tissue on its holder. So: "When loading your bathroom dispenser, do you place the roll so the tissue pulls from the top forward, or from the back, from underneath?" Put TISSUE in the subject line and send to survey@upi.com via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO. 219 (NAMES)

Last week we asked if you knew of anyone who had a strange or unusual name. I got lots of answers that can't be printed here. I'm not even sure Howard Stern can use them. But, here are some names I can print. Cindy says her maiden name is Snapp and they always called her Ginger. Several noted that there is a family named Hogg who had daughters named Ima and Ura. There was once an officer Randy Pigg in Indiana. Many have heard of guys named Justin Tyme. By the way, I once interviewed the Dr. Pearle of the Pearle Vision Centers. His middle initial is C. He says he used to call himself Stanley See Pearle. Mickey says he dumbly named his son Donald. Anti says a Mr. and Mrs. Coe named their children Chris and Jerry. Peggy once knew someone named O.U. Darling. Amanda knows a Terry Berry. What about former Oklahoma City-area politicians Larry and Terry Derryberry? Jack Frost also turned up. Debra met a woman named Bunny. I once met a guy named Toy; he proved it to me with his driver's license. Sally knows a Patty Patt. Sheli knew a Christopher Cross who played, what else, lacrosse. Robert said his dad had a penchant for making up names when he answered the phone. Sounds like W.C. Fields. "Hi, Cuthbert J. Twilly here!" Merry once saw an obit for a woman named Ima Rose Bush. Respondent "ml" says the worst names she's seen are Velveeta and Crayola. INTU says a woman in Philly once named her daughter Placenta. MJ had a friend named Lovelace Outhouse. Finally, when I joined a radio station in Vincennes, Ind., the first thing I was told in a staff meeting was that the owner's wife's name was America. The reason they told me that stems from an unprintable story where a newly hired announcer, new to the city, answered the phone only to find a woman saying: "This is America." His reply was so unexpected and profane that it became his one and only day to work at the station. By the way, I'm happy to report that America is alive and well in her early 90s. So, GBA.