Entertainment Today: Showbiz news

UNIVISION KICKS ESPN AROUND ON WORLD CUP RATINGS

Univision Communications Inc. -- the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States -- announced Wednesday that its networks are scoring big ratings for their coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup games.

Live broadcasts and replays of the first 11 matches on the Univision and TeleFutura networks delivered 24 percent more households, 27 percent more adults 18-49 and 49 percent more men 18-49 than Univision's 1998 World Cup coverage, according to a release issued by the company.

Univision's live coverage delivered more viewers of all languages than ESPN and ESPN2 managed for their live coverage, according to the company.

The announcement said Univision's 2:15 a.m.EST/11:15 p.m. PST broadcast of the Mexico-Croatia match on Monday was the second highest-rated sporting event among Hispanic men 18-34 and 18-49 this year -- trailing only the Super Bowl. The match even outperformed Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs, won in dramatic fashion by the Los Angeles Lakers over the Sacramento Kings in primetime on Sunday.

Univision said it delivered 642 percent more households in Los Angeles than ESPN and ESPN2, 44 percent more in New York, 499 percent more in Miami and 312 percent more in Chicago.

'E.T.' ON DVD AT LAST

"E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" will be released on DVD for the first time, in a limited collector's edition that will be available for 10 weeks only, beginning Oct. 22.

That means the DVD will be in stores just in time for Halloween, and be taken off of shelves just after Christmas.

The DVD, from Universal Studios Home Video, will contain both the original "E.T." and the 20th Anniversary edition that was released in U.S. theaters this spring.

The double-disc set will offer 10 hours of extras -- including director Steven Spielberg describing all aspects of the original 1982 production and the updated anniversary edition. There will also be video of John Williams conducting a 100-piece orchestra performing his Oscar-winning score for "E.T."

'SCREAM' OK FOR FRANCE

France's justice minister has rejected a suggestion by a candidate in next week's parliamentary elections to ban the "Scream" movie trilogy or to conduct an investigation into crimes that might be linked to screen violence.

Candidate Didier Fischer called for the ban Wednesday, citing a confession by a 17-year-old boy who said "Scream" inspired him to stab a schoolmate to death.

Justice Minister Dominique Perben said withdrawing films once they have been released in France is illegal.

"The law doesn't allow it directly unless there is a real problem with public order," said Perben in an interview on LCI television. "Once the film has passed through the censorship barrier, it is very difficult to ban it."

Fischer had called for "the immediate withdrawal from sale and public rental across the national territory of any videotape, DVD disc and any other form of distribution, including on the Internet, of the film 'Scream.'"

DIRECTOR BESSON IN TROUBLE?

A French judicial investigator questioned director Luc Besson ("La Femme Nikita," "The Fifth Element") Tuesday about the death of a cameraman during the filming of a movie stunt in 1999.

Officials said Besson was placed under official investigation, just short of being charged with an offense under French law. The investigation arose out of accusations by stuntman Remy Julienne that producers' frugality might have contributed to the tragedy during the filming of "Taxi 2."

Besson produced the movie, an action-comedy about a speed-demon taxi driver who must help rescue a kidnapped Japanese ambassador from kidnappers in Marseilles. Camera operator Alain Dutartre was killed and two camera crew members were injured when a stunt car mistakenly overran barriers intended to stop it after a stunt.

Julienne said producers -- including Besson -- should have used a remote-controlled camera to get the shot. Besson said he followed safety procedures and denied that he sacrificed safety by cutting corners on spending.

COSBY AT WOLF TRAP

Bill Cosby is the headliner Friday at a fundraiser at Filene Center at Wolf Trap, in what is being billed as Washington's biggest black-tie lawn party.

The sold-out event is expected to attract 1,000 guests and raise more than $500,000 for Wolf Trap's education programs.

The guest list includes Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard B. Meyers, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman

Mineta, National Park Service Director, Fran Mainella and several members of Congress.

More than 7,000 are expected to attend Cosby's performance, following the black-tie event.