Hollywood Digest

OSCARS IN FLUX

Last minute changes in plans are being reported in Hollywood as the 75th Anniversary Academy Awards approach.

According to a report in Daily Variety, Will Smith has withdrawn as a presenter for Sunday's telecast. Smith -- a Best Actor nominee for "Ali" last year -- was scheduled to make his fourth appearance as an Oscar presenter, but his publicist told Variety that Smith felt uncomfortable about being at the Oscars.

"He felt uncomfortable in attending and respectfully asked to be excused," said Stan Rosenfield. "There's no agenda, there's no speeches. He just felt uncomfortable in attending."

Variety said a few other celebrities were "waffling" about whether to attend Sunday's ceremonies.

There had been reports Wednesday -- the same day that she was announced as a presenter -- that Cate Blanchett would pull out of the show. However, a publicist for Blanchett said she will be there -- unless her "fluctuating filming schedule" didn't permit. She has been filming in New Mexico with Oscar-winning director Ron Howard.

ABC has announced that it will not telecast Barbara Walters' traditional interview special prior to the Oscars telecast. Walters' interview with Oscar nominees Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore and Renee Zellweger will be shown at a later, unspecified date.

"With such serious issues facing the nation, it is the right decision to postpone the special," said Walters in a prepared statement.

SPREADING THE WEALTH

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Thursday that leftovers from the post-Oscar Governors Ball will be donated to a Los Angeles charity.

As soon as the ball is over, trucks from Angel Harvest -- a non-profit agency that provides food to the needy -- will pick up surplus food for distribution to homeless people in Los Angeles County. It will be the eighth consecutive year that Angel Harvest has delivered Governors Ball leftovers to social service agencies for use as lunch and dinner on the day after the Oscars at Los Angeles shelters.

The food -- prepared by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's team -- will be the same food that celebrities enjoy at the traditional Governors Ball.

THAT OUGHT TO DO IT

Steve Martin, who will host the 75th Academy Awards on Sunday, thinks he knows a way to get President George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein to settle things peacefully.

Hollywood columnist Army Archerd reported Thursday that, in next week's New Yorker, Martin will suggest that the two leaders get together and watch a feel-good video.

"If we could just get Saddam and the president in a room together and have them watch, say, 'Singin' in the Rain,' I don't think we'd have much of a problem," writes Martin, "because the nature of that movie is to celebrate joy and fun and silliness.

"So how could two men, even those who have vast ideological differences such as when and how much to bomb the living daylights out of each other, hate one another after seeing 'Singin' in the Rain'?"

Bear in mind, Martin is a comedian.

'SOPRANOS' LOCKED AND LOADED FOR NEW SEASON

All combatants in "The Sopranos" recent power struggle have declared peace and filming for the show's fifth season is set to begin April 1.

Just a week after the two sides in Emmy-winning actor James Gandolfini's contract dispute were calling each other names -- well, they're still calling each other names, but now the names are a lot nicer.

"We are delighted that the great Jim Gandolfini will be back at work in the role he has created with such distinction," said HBO boss Chris Albrecht in a prepared statement.

"I'm very happy that 'The Sopranos' will be back," Gandolfini said in a statement. "It's a show that I love doing with people I love working with."

Gandolfini's statement didn't how much HBO will pay him for a fifth season as crime family boss Tony Soprano, but various published reports indicate he got a package worth about $13 million. Gandolfini filed suit against HBO two weeks ago, and the cable channel followed with a $100 million countersuit against the actor.

MONICA LEWINSKY'S NEW GIG

Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky is about to add to her fame -- host of a new reality series for Fox.

Lewinsky will star in "Mr. Personality," in which a young woman will have to choose a boyfriend from among a group of contenders who will hide their looks behind various disguises. The idea is for her to pick the guy with the best personality.

In a prepared statement issued by Fox, Lewinsky said the gig "sounds like good fun."

ONE OF THESE DAYS, ALICE ...

Cedric the Entertainer and Mike Epps are said to be in talks to star in a movie version of the classic Jackie Gleason-Art Carney TV comedy "The Honeymooners."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, no director or start date has been set for the project but Danny Jacobson ("Mad About You," "Roseanne") is working on the screenplay. Cedric would play the Ralph Kramden role and Epps ("All About the Benjamins," "Next Friday") would play the Ed Norton character.