RADIOStars to Do Kids’ Radio: Mel Gibson...

RADIO

Stars to Do Kids’ Radio: Mel Gibson will host a new weekly family radio program, “Rabbit Ears Radio,” to debut on American Public Radio in June, 1994. The two-year series of half-hour shows will feature classic children’s stories narrated by Hollywood celebrities and scored by top musicians. The lineup includes “John Henry,” told by Denzel Washington with music by B.B. King; “The Velveteen Rabbit,” featuring Meryl Streep and George Winston; “The Elephant’s Child,” with Jack Nicholson and Bobby McFerrin, and “Pecos Bill,” with Robin Williams and Ry Cooder. Gibson, who will read “David and Goliath,” will introduce each story and give insights on morals and lessons contained in the tales.

TELEVISION

NBC’s New Prime-Time Plans: NBC announced a batch of prime-time schedule changes Tuesday, including the premiere of a new comedy series, “The Good Life,” and the four-week return of Barry Levinson’s “Homicide: Life on the Street.” “The Good Life,” starring stand-up comedian John Caponera, will preview Jan. 3, then move to its regular 8:30 p.m. Tuesday time slot the next night. “Homicide” will air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. beginning Jan. 6. In addition, the Cindy Williams/Telma Hopkins sitcom “Getting By” will move to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays starting Jan. 8, while Valerie Bertinelli’s “Cafe Americain” will shift to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Jan. 4.

A Daily Dose of David: Cable’s E! Entertainment Television will begin showing classic episodes of “Late Night With David Letterman” seven days a week beginning Dec. 27. The one-hour shows will air Monday through Friday at 4 and 7 p.m., Saturdays at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 and 7 p.m. E! owns 509 episodes of Letterman’s NBC series, including nine anniversary specials.

Wayans vs. Townsend: Writer-comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans has sued comic actor Robert Townsend for $1 million, alleging Townsend cut him out of a deal to sell and develop a TV project they created together. The Los Angeles Superior Court complaint centers on Townsend’s 1987 Home Box Office comedy special, “Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime,” which contained a 10-minute soap opera parody called “The Bold, the Black, the Beautiful,” in which Wayans played the central character. Wayans suit states that he and Townsend had an oral agreement that Wayans would get 20% of any profits from the re-broadcast of the show, plus half the proceeds if either of them could sell the parody idea as the basis for a TV series. Wayans alleges that Townsend used the parody segment in his short-lived Fox TV series, “Townsend Television,” without consulting or paying Wayans for its use. He also alleges Townsend marketed a home video of the HBO special without paying him.

MOVIES

Brooks Signs Film Deal: Country singing star Garth Brooks has signed a film deal with Disney’s Touchstone Pictures. The studio, which has acquired non-exclusive, first-look rights to any Brooks film project, said the singer plans “a variety of projects, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.” Brooks’ deal includes his producing partner, Lisa Sanderson. The two first worked together on an episode of TV’s “Empty Nest,” which Sanderson wrote expressly for Brooks as guest star.

Pacino’s Drama Class?: Al Pacino’s next role may be in the classroom. During a break from rehearsing a play in Connecticut, Pacino said he’s willing to teach Shakespeare if it would spark interest among students. Pacino, who is making a documentary featuring various people--ranging from a panhandler to Laurence Olivier--talking about their feelings on Shakespeare, said something needs to be done to encourage an appreciation for the Bard. “I was fortunate enough to be exposed to it at a fairly young age,” Pacino said. “The hope is that maybe (such projects) could encourage people toward Shakespeare in general.”

QUICK TAKES

Tupac Shakur’s attorney held a press conference in New York to allege that sexual assault charges against his client are part of a police vendetta over the controversial rap singer’s lyrics about police brutality. The attorney, Michael Warren, also alleged that the unidentified woman who accused Shakur and two others of the assault, brought the charges in order to pursue a multimillion-dollar lawsuit. He admitted, however, that the woman has not yet filed any suit. . . . A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has set a March 29 trial date in Michael Jackson’s lawsuit against his former personal cameraman, Steve Howell, for allegedly selling Jackson family home videos without permission. That is just eight days after the pop star is due in court to defend himself against civil charges of sexual molestation brought by a 13-year-old boy. . . . Conductor Eiji Oue, who makes his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic tonight at the Music Center, has been named music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, effective at the beginning of the 1995-96 season. Currently music director of the Erie (Pa.) Philharmonic, Oue will succeed Edo de Waart in the Minnesota post. . . . Pop group Duran Duran has already made its New Year’s Eve plans: a date with the ‘70s band the Village People for a concert at the Forum. Tickets go on sale Saturday.