NAMES IN THE NEWS : Nicholson Likes Where He’s At

NEW YORK — Jack Nicholson concedes he’s never been Hollywood’s top box office attraction, but he says, “That’s all by design.”

“I like being in that second or third spot,” the actor, who stands to make $60 million for his role in “Batman,” said in January’s issue of Gentleman’s Quarterly.

“Just let some other lunatic do this stuff and move up behind him, and nobody gets too excited about it,” Nicholson said. “I’ve had creative autonomy from ‘Easy Rider’ on, with a few exceptions, and that’s all you get out of being the Number One box office star anyway.”