MOVIESHoly Cow, Julia!: A Republican lawmaker in...

MOVIES

Holy Cow, Julia!: A Republican lawmaker in Wisconsin is having a cow over Julia Roberts’ next movie role. State Rep. Ben Brancel is worried that “I Love Trouble,” an upcoming movie also starring Nick Nolte, could taint the perception of the state’s dairy business. Similar to the real-life dispute over the use of bovine growth hormone in dairy cattle, the movie deals with the possibility of contaminated milk because of a make-believe product that speeds the maturation of milk-producing cows. Roberts and Nolte play rival Chicago newspaper reporters trying to uncover a scandal about the make-believe hormone.

Israel Festival Gala: The Israel Film Festival kicks off its 10th anniversary with a benefit program Thursday at the Directors Guild of America. The program includes clips from past festivals, as well as a tribute honoring past festival chairmen including Michael Douglas, Tichi Wilkerson Kassel, Robert Wise and Jack Valenti. This year’s bi-coastal festival, which features four North American premieres, opens Saturday at the Laemmle Sunset 5, then moves to New York Nov. 9.

‘Aladdin’ Art Flies: A New York auction of 250 pieces of artwork from Disney’s animated “Aladdin” raised more than $1.35 million during the weekend for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a children’s charity. A piece depicting Aladdin and Jasmine flying on a magic carpet, expected to bring about $6,000, fetched $25,300.

ART

UCLA Exhibition Plans: With the formal agreement for UCLA to take over operation of the Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center expected to be completed in about three months, today’s opening at the Hammer of “The Art of Attack: Social Commentary and Its Effect” is considered a “test case” for UCLA to learn to use the space and work with the Hammer board, according to Henry Hopkins, chairman and director of UCLA’s Art Department and Wight Art Gallery and soon-to-be director of the Hammer. With one final exhibition--a feminist group show called “Bad Girls West”--scheduled at the Wight in January, UCLA plans to move its programming to the Hammer by March, with the Wight to be used for undergraduate and graduate exhibitions. Hopkins noted that plans for the large Wight Gallery--which could eventually include a student-run program or an installation and performance space--were up in the air because of “tight economic times,” but noted that UCLA’s programming at the Hammer would be stepped up to include year-round exhibitions instead of the university’s previous nine-month schedule. In addition, Hopkins said, programming at the Hammer will no longer be limited to contemporary art, and the museum will feature additional offerings such as lectures, poetry readings, symposiums and films.

POP/ROCK

Cleaning Out His Jewelry Box: Flamboyant rock star Elton John says he “can’t stop buying more and more” jewelry, so he’ll auction off 90 pieces--worth $1.15 million--that he no longer wears to make room for new ones. The works, ranging from Art Deco to modern, go on the block Dec. 14 at Sotheby’s auction house in London.

AHORA for AIDS: A power list of Latino stars including Miguel Mateos and Gerardo are scheduled to perform at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a benefit concert aimed at combatting AIDS in Latino communities across the United States. Called “Concierto por la Vida (Concert for Life),” the event is the first effort by the group Artists of Hispanic Origin Respond to AIDS (AHORA). Others set to participate: Maria Conchita Alonso, Laureano Brizuela, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez, Barrio Boyzz and Rudy La Scala. The concert airs Oct. 23 on the Spanish-language network Telemundo.

QUICK TAKES

British pop star George Michael’s bid in London High Court to break his 15-year contract with music giant Sony was postponed Monday for 24 hours because of an injury to one of the lawyers in the case. . . . More than 33,000 tickets--of the total 56,000 available--have been sold so far for “Encore--The Three Tenors,” a July 16 Dodger Stadium concert featuring Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carerras. . . . “In Living Color” and “Roc” co-star Jamie Foxx gets his own show Nov. 6 when cable viewers can tune into “HBO Comedy Hour: Jamie Foxx: Straight From the Foxxhole.” . . . Top-rated morning radio personality Rick Dees has signed a multiyear contract to stay at KIIS-FM (102.7). Dees and KIIS also plan to launch a syndicated daily radio show. . . . The controversial Academy Award-winning documentary “The Panama Deception” airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday on cable’s Cinemax, not HBO as previously reported.