Entertainment Today: Showbiz news

NETWORKS GET POOR GRADE ON PRIMETIME DIVERSITY

Network TV has made little, if any, progress toward greater ethnic diversity in its programming -- and has actually backslid on shows more likely to be watched by young viewers, according to a new report by the children's advocacy group Children Now.

Based on a recent study, the group concluded that the networks have failed to make good on their 1999 promise to bring more minorities into the primetime TV landscape.

The report said the network schedules still mostly feature younger white males, with ethnic actors mainly showing up in supporting roles and women often characterized by stereotypes.

"Fall Colors 2001-02" -- the group's third annual study of primetime programming -- was based on an examination of the first two episodes of each primetime series last fall on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN and the WB. Researchers found that reality, variety and wrestling shows offered what the report called "a fair amount" of diversity.

The study concluded that the 8-9 p.m. hour -- when young viewers consume most of their primetime programming -- was the least racially diverse hour on the primetime schedule. Shows coming on later in the evening had a tendency to be more racially and ethnically diverse.

The researchers noticed a dramatic drop in diversity on half-hour comedies. Seven percent of them had ethnically diverse leading casts, down from 14 percent during the 2001-02 season.

Children Now reported that gay and lesbian characters, and characters with physical disabilities, have become more visible on network primetime TV. However, most of those characters were played by white actors.

OK, WHO'S NOT TELLING THE TRUTH HERE?

Al Pacino and Winona Ryder seem to be telling two different stories about middle-of-the-night phone calls.

Ryder -- who co-stars with Adam Sandler in the upcoming comedy "Mr. Deeds" -- recently told a reporter that she had spent some time talking on the phone with Pacino late at night. But Pacino -- who co-stars with Robin Williams in the new thriller "Insomnia" -- said those calls never happened.

"I wish. I wish," said the Oscar-winning actor at the inaugural Tribeca Film Festival in New York. "The thing is when I'm very tired at 2 a.m. you could call the coast, although I don't. I don't know why. There's something about the nighttime and the trying to get back to sleep and trying to do things that are not stimulating."

Coincidentally, Pacino's character in "Insomnia" is a veteran cop who makes a tragic decision while sleep-deprived, and finds himself being blackmailed by a murderer -- played by Robin Williams. The character is the latest in a line of cops on Pacino's acting resume, including "Serpico" and "Heat."

He said he took the role so he could work with director Chris Nolan -- that's how much he enjoyed "Memento," which Nolan wrote and directed.

Pacino also said he enjoyed working with Williams.

"He's my idol," said Pacino. "I just love being around him. I'd like to see him personally after the picture."

CBS GIVES UP ON 'MAX BICKFORD'

CBS will add seven new series to its primetime lineup this fall, dropping the highly regarded Richard Dreyfuss drama "The Education of Max Bickford," the family court drama "Family Law" and the Supreme Court drama "First Monday."

Among the new shows -- two half-hour comedies and five hour-long dramas -- is a spinoff from the network's breakout hit "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

"CSI: Miami" -- set, as the title implies, in Miami -- features former "NYPD Blue" star David Caruso. CBS plans to program it against NBC's popular entry in the battle of forensic crime shows, "Crossing Jordan," on Monday night.

The network has also scheduled "Without a Trace" -- a drama about an FBI missing persons unit -- opposite "ER" on Thursday. "Without a Trace," like the "CSI" shows, is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer ("Black Hawk Down," "Pearl Harbor").

CBS will replace "Max Bickford" on the Sunday schedule with the new comedy "Bram and Alice," coupled with Ted Danson's comedy "Becker," which is being moved from Monday.

The 8-10 p.m. time slots remain largely unchanged the rest of the week.

Monday still features "King of Queens," "Yes Dear" and "Everybody Loves Raymond." Tuesday still has "JAG," "The Guardian" and "Judging Amy." "Survivor" and "CSI" will remain in their current Thursday time slots.

FANS, CRITICS SPLIT ON MADONNA

Officially, reviewers were barred from Monday night's performance when Madonna made her London theater debut, but some papers managed to get their people into the theater to see the pop diva in the new play "Up for Grabs."

According to the New York Daily News, the performer showed a touch of nerves, and came off as "stiff" and "forced" in the opinion of some. However, some members of the audience stood up and cheered just at the sight of the star's first entrance.

One newspaper writer called Madonna's acting "awful" and the Times of London sniffed: "Great play, shame about Madonna." The Evening Standard's critic said Madonna loosened up a bit as the night wore on and wrote: "I ended up loving the dame."

"Up for Grabs" opens May 23 and is scheduled to run through July 13.

HONORS FOR PATTI PAGE

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame has announced that legendary singer Patti Page will be honored with its 2002 Living Legend Award in ceremonies on June 19 in Tulsa.

Page has sold more than 100 million records in a singing career that goes back more than 50 years. She has had 84 singles in Billboard's Top 40, including, "Old Cape Cod," "Allegheny Moon," "Doggie in the Window" and her signature hit "Tennessee Waltz" -- the third-biggest single of all time with more than 10 million copies sold.

Page -- known to fans as "The Singing Rage" -- was born Clara Ann Fowler in Claremore, Okla., in 1927.

She has received the Academy of Country Music's prestigious Pioneer Award, and has been honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Country Music Walk of Fame in Nashville. She won a Grammy in 1999 for "Live At Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert."