Hollywood Digest

BIG STARS TAKE BIG VACATIONS

If you have the cash, take the trip, and Hollywood stars are doing just that. A recent look at Tinseltown vacations in People magazine shows many stars use their wealth to take elaborate excursions, though a few do it the old-fashioned way -- on a budget.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have been seen taking future in-laws and other family members along. The magazine says on a recent trip Lopez's mom and grandmother went along. Last Christmas, Affleck took them on an elaborate shopping tour, picking up expensive gifts at Las Vegas boutiques. Affleck picked up the tab from gambling winnings.

Queen Latifah, America's new box office superstar, pampers herself when she can. She sometimes goes to the exclusive Atlantis Resort in the Caribbean on Paradise Island. The tab is beyond what most of us could bear: $2,380 per night. But that's only $1.65 per minute.

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell are frequent visitors to ski country in Aspen. They have their own vacation home in a nearby mining town. Local merchants love them. Russell recently forked over $75,000 at a local jewelers for a ring for Goldie.

TAMBLYN TAPPED FOR CBS PILOT

Amber Tamblyn has been recruited to join veteran Mary Steenburgen in the taping of a pilot for CBS to be called "Joan of Arcadia." Tamblyn will play the lead. She is best known for her role as Emily Quartermain on "General Hospital." The Hollywood Reporter says Tamblyn played that part from January of 1995 through the summer of 2001. The 20-year-old actress began her stage career at age 10, when she was tapped for the lead in "Pippi Longstockings" at a Los Angeles school. Since then she's played in a variety of off-beat films. Most recently she was seen in the film "Johnny Mysto-Boy Wizard." By the way, the title "Joan of Arcadia" plays on the fact Arcadia, Calif., is a far-flung suburb of Los Angeles on old Route 66. Oh yes, Amber is the daughter of actor-dancer Russ Tamblyn.

'BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE' STILL NO. 1

The Steve Martin-Queen Latifah vehicle "Bringing Down the House" continues to top the American box office. According to movie.com, the film, in only its third week of theatrical release, has taken in more than $83 million. It's playing on more than 2,800 screens and has raked in about $5,600 per screen. Second is the spooky "Dreamcatcher." Only in it's first week, it's garnered about $5,100 at each screen on which it's being shown.

The No. 3 film, nationally, is "Agent Cody Banks." In its second week it's produced $26 million-plus in ticket sales with a take of about $2,700 per screen.

The No. 4 though No. 10 films are:

-"View from the Top" ... first week, $7 million in total sales

-"The Hunted" ... second week, $23 million-plus

-"Chicago" ... the Oscar winner has taken in $134 million-plus in 13 weeks

-"Piglet's Big Movie" ... a not-bad opening week of $6 million

-"Tears on the Sun" ... third week, $38 million so far

-"Old School" ... $67 million in its fifth week

-"Boat Trip" ... Opened this week with nearly $4 million in sales so far.

By the way, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" is now in its 14th week at some theaters with a total domestic take of more than $334 million.

'FEAR FACTOR' STILL AUDIENCE WINNER

NBC's "Fear Factor" helped win the Monday night ratings race but network-watchers say the strong lead-in could not hold the audience during the next show, the "Miss America Pageant."

"Fear Factor" was the biggest draw of the night, despite ongoing coverage of the war in Iraq.

Nielsen Media Research says while more than 15.6 million watched the gritty reality show, about 8.8 million watched ABC's war coverage that night.

Meanwhile, the networks still are grappling with the question of how much war coverage is enough and how much is too much, both for viewers and for spot-hungry ad agencies. As the coverage drags on and fewer spots are aired, seasonal sales and other one-shot advertising deals are getting less exposure.

Additionally, local TV stations that rely on the insertion of local commercials are hurting. With fewer network cutaways for local participation, less local revenue is being generated. The real winner seems to be Internet news channels.