Hollywood Digest

HONORS FOR RICHARD GERE

The American Foundation for AIDS Research -- amfAR -- will honor Richard Gere, Lorne Michaels and Anna Wintour on Feb. 3 for their work on fighting AIDS.

"We are proud to have an opportunity to recognize the diverse and exemplary contributions to the fight against AIDS of these three outstanding individuals," said Dr. Mathilde Krim, amfAR's founding chairman and chairman of the Board. "Theirs have always been voices of rational concern and compassion, and their personal dedication has earned them a place of honor among all those endowed with the gift of leadership."

Gere -- who won a Golden Globe Award Sunday for best actor in a musical or comedy movie, "Chicago" -- helped establish the AIDS Care Home in New Delhi, a residential facility that serves women and orphaned children infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. He established the Gere Foundation in 1990 to support AIDS prevention programs.

Michaels -- who created the long-running sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" -- has produced several fundraising events for amfAR and its predecessor, the AIDS Medical Foundation, including Comic Relief and Serenade. His Broadway Video production company has made several video products for amfAR.

Wintour -- editor-in-chief of Vogue -- is credited with playing a leading role in developing the fashion industry's AIDS charity program, the CFDA/VOGUE Initiative, which has raised more than $11 million. She has also co-chaired several AIDS fundraisers.

The honors will be handed out on Feb. 3 in New York, at a black-tie dinner hosted by "SNL" star Tina Fey. Former President Bill and former first lady and current Sen. Hillary Clinton are honorary co-chairs for the event.

'MISTER ED' READY TO SADDLE UP AGAIN?

According to published reports in Hollywood, plans are under way for a new version of the '60s TV comedy "Mister Ed" -- the one about the talking horse.

Fox reportedly has ordered a pilot for the show, which would feature a hipper, fast-talking horse that should remind viewers of black movie comics such as Eddie Griffin or Chris Tucker. The original, which ran on CBS from 1961-65, featured Alan Young as Wilbur Post, the only human who could hear Mister Ed talk.

DÉJÀ VU IN THE 'ZONE'

UPN's new version of "The Twilight Zone" will offer viewers updated takes on two of the original series' classic episodes.

One of the episodes, which will air during the February ratings sweeps, will be a sequel to "It's a Good Life," originally aired in November 1961. That's the one that featured Billy Mumy as a boy with terrible powers to make people vanish permanently if he doesn't like them.

The update features Mumy as the same character, now a grown man, who still has the terrible power. He also has a 6-year-old daughter -- played by his own daughter, Liliana Mumy ("The Santa Clause 2") -- who is just beginning to develop terrible powers of her own.

The other updated episode is a remake of "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," originally broadcast in March 1960.

The new episode, "Monsters On Maple Street," features Andrew McCarthy as a man who watches his street disintegrate into chaos and paranoia after technology breakdowns isolate the neighbors from the outside world -- and they want to blame a "foreign"-looking family for the problem.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE?

The long and fruitful relationship between the Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios is reportedly in some potential jeopardy.

Disney and Pixar have partnered on five computer-animated features, including the upcoming "Finding Nemo." The first four collaborations -- "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "A Bugs Life" and "Monster's, Inc." -- have grossed $1.7 billion and set new standards for movie animation.

However, according to a report in Daily Variety, Pixar is developing a project, possibly for release in 2006, that may or may not involve Disney. The project is about a rodent living in an upscale restaurant.

Pixar's current co-production arrangement with Disney expires in 2005. By that time, in addition to "Finding Nemo," the partnership will have released "The Incredibles" (2004) and "Cars" (2005).

Variety said entertainment industry insiders have speculated that Pixar will eventually produce and distribute its own movies, but Wall Street analysts expect Pixar and Disney will prolong their relationship -- with Pixar probably getting a slightly better deal than it currently has with Disney.

HONORS FOR SAM MENDES

Organizers of ShoWest 2003 have announced that Sam Mendes will be honored as director of the year at the entertainment industry expo in Las Vegas in March.

Mendes won the Oscar in 1999 for his feature film directorial debut, "American Beauty." His second project, "Road to Perdition," grossed more than $104 million at the U.S. box office in 2002.

HONORS FOR '60 MINUTES' MAN

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists will present its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award to "60 Minutes" Producer Don Hewitt.

The veteran CBS journalist will receive the honor at AFTRA's May 12 awards ceremony in New York -- which will also honor the team of "60 Minutes" correspondents with individual Excellence in Broadcasting awards.