People

BRITNEY ... FINALLY LICENSED TO BE SEXY

For years it would appear that it hasn't mattered to Britney Spears that she was still a teenager, acting very adult in front of her fans -- most of whom are barely pubescent. For years it hasn't mattered that she has consistently pushed the envelope, giving the hint to her fans that it's OK to grow up more quickly than they should. Well, according to People magazine, maybe the singer's biological clock is finally catching up with her adolescent desires. Spears turns 21 in early December.

There is now the question as to whether the appeal she has had by doing every taboo thing she could think of before it was legal will continue when she actually is "of age." Although she has sold tons of CDs over the past four years -- some 52 million, with a paycheck of about $50 million a year -- sales of her products have been on a sharp decline in recent months.

As reported in the publication last month, she's on a six-month hiatus before deciding what to do next. If she's thinking of adding an "adult, sexual bent" to her projects, well ... been there; done that.

IS WYLE ABOUT TO LEAVE HIS MEDIC SHOW?

For the past eight seasons, photogenic Noah Wyle has been a mainstay on the immensely popular medical drama "ER." Now, according to TV Guide, he may be ready to move on to other things. The latest edition of the publication has Wyle noting that he may have wanderlust, a "gypsy" kind of thing. At 31 he can certainly chart his own path, particularly in the wake of the accolades he's received for his work on the doctor show.

Wyle notes that he is "a utility player," meaning that he can show up in a variety of future roles. By the way, the Hollywood Reporter notes that the ratings for "ER" have been slipping, what with the CBS show "CSI" knocking it out of its top-rated status.

MOVIEMAKERS ENDURE REAL PROBLEMS

There's talk that the weeks during which the new World War II epic movie "The Great Raid" was filmed, being on and around the set could be downright dangerous. All epic movies develop a kind of mythology about their production. There are always rumors of bad accidents and even accidental deaths. But, according to the New York Post, the filming of "The Great Raid" was a particularly trying time for many in the cast and crew.

During filming, a minor player died in a gruesome car accident; an actor was hurt while surfing (off the set) and actor James Franco cut his hand badly on a prop gun. Meanwhile, Miramax notes that none of the injuries to the principal players was enough to endanger production. Filming took place in Australia. The movie centers around the daring rescue of hundreds of American and allied soldiers from a Japanese prison camp.

LEGION WANTS PREVIOUS VETS REWARDED

While President George W. Bush continues his lobbying of the American people to gain support for his proposed actions against Iraq, the head of the American Legion tells United Press International that the chief executive is about to send new troops into action while forgetting the bravery of past heroes. National Commander Ronald F. Conley says that he is urging the White House and members of Congress to include language in a proposed defense spending bill that will end the withholding of benefits to past soldiers in the form of cuts in retirement pay.

Conley says that withholding some pay from veterans, based on what payments they might be getting from other government sources for work well done, sends a bad signal to today's GIs and is detrimental to morale. He is sending telegrams to many in Washington to press his point. The legion is the nation's largest veterans organization.

GOODALL KEEPING UP HECTIC PACE

At age 70 most people start slowing down, but not naturalist Jane Goodall. She will be in Cincinnati this week, as part of the opening of a new interactive exhibit put together by the city's zoological park. Goodall is described by the Cincinnati Enquirer as "pushing-70-years-old." But she's keeping up a hectic pace of travel, research and lectures that would put a younger person to shame. During a single week recently, she made major appearances and gave lectures in Ohio, North Carolina and Switzerland.

You may remember that she gained international attention in the 1960s with her willingness to spend hundreds of thousands of hours living among the great apes and other creatures. She broke with tradition, causing people to rethink their old concept of the "animal expert" as a lion tamer with a whip and a chair.

While in Cincinnati she will help open a new Imax film on Africa and will also deliver a lecture at Xavier University. For more information check out cincymuseum.org on the Internet.

CANDIDATE'S CHAUFFEUR IN VERY HOT WATER

It's the talk of San Francisco. An incident involving a limo driver -- carrying a candidate for California's State Assembly -- and the crash of the car into a crowd of pedestrians. The San Francisco Chronicle says that the driver has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after the limo swerved off the route of a parade and ran over three people, causing life-threatening injuries. Now there are reports that the driver, 44, has tested positive for drug use. To make matters worse and bring even more angst to the event, there are additional reports that after he realized what had happened police heard him mutter: "I hope somebody's dead!"

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 431

"When was the last time you went to a zoo or other nature park?" Put ZOO in the subject line and send to [email protected], via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO. 426 (GIGGLES)

Last week we asked about the last time you lost it and got the uncontrollable giggles. From a random dip into the e-mail inbox, here are some of your replies: Angela S says that while her husband was bathing their 2-year-old he liked to give the toddler a "raspberry" by blowing onto the child's neck. Suddenly the child turned around, thrusting her "backsides" into the air, asking for one in another place. The bathroom erupted in laughter.

Frequent contributor Peggy says that the family's 11-year-old rather sizable dog is a constant provider of laughter and joy and she often loses it while playing with the animal.

ClideAway says that he got the hiccups just a minute before he had to deliver the valedictory address at his high school graduation. He did all he could to not hiccup. But nothing worked. He tried delivering his speech only to fall into wails of laughter that quickly spread through the entire auditorium.

Finally, PatO says that about eight years ago, a female friend of hers began relaying the story of a date she had just had. The story got so silly they both got the giggles. Pat says she and her friend still mention the incident today. TOMORROW: Back to the cinema. GBA.