People

O'NEAL EVERYWHERE AS NEW YEAR NEARS

Rising young country singer Jamie O'Neal has positioned herself well to grab a lot of media attention as the calendar rolls into 2002. Her manager has scheduled her onto the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Jan. 2. The news provider country.com says that O'Neal's appearance on the late-night NBC broadcast will be just one of many interview and performance dates set for the Los Angeles area when she is in the City of Angels the first week of the new year. The day after the Leno appearance she will appear at the House of Blues on the Strip in Los Angeles. On the 4th she'll be part of the ceremonies announcing the Grammy nominations. By the way, O'Neal is up for "Favorite New Country Artist" at the American Music Awards on Jan. 9, also to originate in Los Angeles. O'Neal first came to the attention of country music promoters when she was heard as a studio singer on many demo tapes produced in Music City.

WEATHER FORECASTERS DISAPPOINT SNOW-LOVERS

Everyone loves to trash the people who make weather predictions. One reason is that most non-forecasters fail to realize that even the most seasoned prognosticator using the latest computers is still hard pressed to come up with accurate forecasts all the time. The nation's second-largest group of weather people, the National Weather Association, is so keenly aware that the public is in the dark about what weather is all about that it's official slogan is "Bringing Weather Down to Earth." So, new information in the latest edition of USA Today will disappoint a lot of people. Irving Berlin's classic song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" won't even help. It appears that much of the country will be brisk on Christmas Day, but not snowy. Ironically the concept of a truly white Christmas is a near impossibility for a full third of the country. Even the little southern Indiana town of Santa Claus is likely to be cold but not white this time around.

PBS SHOW ON DANCER CUNNINGHAM HAILED

Legendary dancer-choreographer Merce Cunningham is chronicled in one of the newest PBS documentaries. The hour-long broadcast takes a loving look at the 80-year-old dancer, now slowed by arthritis, but still dancing to disco music, in his own way. The San Francisco Chronicle says that Cunningham's choreography is unique in that he seldom had dancers really dance to the beat of the music, but to dance within the framework of the music, its motif and tempo. The segment -- already seen on some PBS stations as part of the "American Masters" series -- is directed by Charles Atlas and, according to the publication, provides a vital look at a genuine revolutionary in American dance. Cunningham's career and style are profiled on his rather exhaustive personal Web site, available at merce.org on the Internet. By the way, the latest PBS "Performance" looks at the great violinists of the past century.

JOAN COLLINS TO WED MUCH YOUNGER MAN

Actress Joan Collins, best known for her long-running role on "Dynasty" and her flamboyant lifestyle, says she will marry her boyfriend -- who is 32 years younger than she. Her publicist says that the 68-year-old Collins will marry 36-year-old theater manager Percy Gibson. The marriage is planned for February, with few other details released. The couple first met during her national tour in "Love Letters." Gibson also collaborated with Collins on her newest novel, "Star Quality." Her most recent stage appearance was in the London production of "Over the Moon" in which she made instant tabloid headlines by wearing a revealing black outfit on stage.

BLUEGRASS BONANZA SET FOR RYMAN

The venerable Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville will host a bluegrass extravaganza on Jan. 16, featuring nearly all of today's favorites in that genre and in mainstream country music. The auditorium, original home of the Grand Ole Opry and a shrine of sorts, says that on the bill will be Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, the Dixie Chicks, Earl Scruggs (one of the pioneers of bluegrass), Travis Tritt, Patty Loveless, Nickel Creek and Bruce Hornsby. The event is being billed as the All-Star Bluegrass Celebration. The producer of the long-running PBS show "Austin City Limits," Terry Lockona, will be in charge. Proceeds from the event, which will be shown on public television in March, will go to a special fund for Appalachian children.

ED SULLIVAN RIDES AGAIN?

The glorious thing about the old "Ed Sullivan" show on Sunday nights -- for what seemed forever -- on CBS was that newspaperman-turned-host Sullivan presented the full gamut of entertainment. On the same show he might have a trained seal act and a star from the Metropolitan Opera. Now, according to the Denver Post, an unlikely entrepreneur is reviving the Sullivan concept with a catch-all program at the Larimer Square Theatre -- live. The host is a TV veterinarian-turned-standup comic, Kevin Fitzgerald. He's presenting 10 different acts in the vein of the old "let's get a barn and put on a show" scenario of tons of old Mickey Rooney movies. The publication says that Fitzgerald promises that no act will run over six minutes; with introductions the total show will run about an hour. He calls the concept "audience-friendly theater." Fitzgerald says he's had feelers from HBO and "Comedy Central" and is curious about how it will turn out.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 228

Since the Christmas buying season is winding down ... quickly, here is today's question: "What, if anything, are you getting yourself for Christmas?" Put SELF in the subject line and send to [email protected] via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO. 223 (CARRYOUT)

Last week we asked if there were any in-home foods you have learned to cook that are as good as carry-out foods. Here are some of the replies: The most obvious and common answer people gave was the simple hamburger. Amanda agrees. A few, including IMTU, noted that they tried over the years to replicate their favorite fast food burger. The problem, usually, is finding the right sauce. Debra says she is the master Egg McMuffin maker. "Mine even stay together better than Mickey Dee's," she reports. Kathy says she makes a wonderful beef and cheddar sandwich. Pat likes to try to replicate chicken and dumplings, usually found at Cracker Barrel. Cindy has perfected a Philly steak and cheese "that beats anything I can take home." B. Wright has finally found the proper sauces to do Chinese at home. Allison is right behind you, B. Wright. Ali has decoded Red Lobster's cheesy garlic biscuits recipe. Want to share it, Ali? Mike makes delicious pizza from scratch, starting with home made dough, and reports he's never called out for pizza since. SR says she is the master of all carry out food. SR, if you want to publish your own recipe book I think I can find some backers right here. Peggy loves to make fried rice and says she throws in whatever is handy. Spam? As I may have mentioned, I finally learned how to make pork fried rice and do it often at home. GBA.