THE ARTSNEA’s Earthquake Plan: The National Endowment...

THE ARTS

NEA’s Earthquake Plan: The National Endowment for the Arts, which offered emergency funds to Los Angeles for arts recovery after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, will not provide similar funding in response to the Northridge earthquake--but will offer a significant break to area artists by waiving “all or part of” matching grant requirements and providing time extensions for project completion. Ordinarily, artists and organizations receiving NEA funds must raise matching funds of at least $1 for every federal dollar awarded. The NEA has notified all grantees potentially affected by the quake telling them to contact their program supervisors for details.

MOVIES

Aced It: Warner Bros.’ new comedy “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” starring Jim Carrey as a finder of missing mammals, found its way to the No. 1 spot at the box office during the weekend with a $12-million gross, according to early industry estimates. There was quite a drop to No. 2: 20th Century Fox’s “Mrs. Doubtfire” took in $6.8 million, followed by TriStar’s “Philadelphia” with $5.7 million. Touchstone Pictures’ newcomer “My Father, the Hero,” starring Gerard Depardieu, was fourth with $5.5 million. Universal’s “Schindler’s List,” still in limited release, was fifth with $5 million. And Columbia’s “I’ll Do Anything,” the much-talked-about comedy from James L. Brooks, didn’t do that much at the box office in its first weekend in release, grossing $4.8 million.

TELEVISION

A Lift From Lilith: Lilith’s visit did wonders for “Frasier.” Last week’s episode of the NBC show, which featured a reunion between Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and his ex-wife from his “Cheers” days, played by Bebe Neuwirth, received the show’s highest ratings ever, a 21.8 (each point is equal to 942,000 homes). The show was No. 1 in its Thursday, 9:30 p.m. time period. Also, the show rated higher than “Seinfeld,” which precedes it on NBC, for the first time.

Lotsa Suds: “Days of Our Lives” cleaned up at the Soap Opera Digest Awards, winning awards for favorite show and hottest female and male stars, Melissa Reeves and Drake Hogestyn. CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” took three awards, including Jess Walton as best lead actress. For NBC’s “Days,” Robert Kelker-Kelly won as best lead actor and Lisa Rinna and Patrick Muldoon were named best female and male newcomers. Winners were decided in a readers poll conducted by Soap Opera Digest. “Frasier’s” Kelsey Grammer co-hosted the show, broadcast live Friday night on NBC from the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

First American Winners: TNT’s TV movie “Geronimo” swept the second annual First American Awards, which recognize Native American performers. The telefilm won five awards, including best actor for Joseph Runningfox, best actress for Tailihn Forest Flower and a special humanitarian award. Another Geronimo story, Columbia Pictures’ feature film “Geronimo, An American Legend,” also gathered accolades--including best actor in a movie for Wes Studi. Best actor in a TV series went to Larry Sellars for CBS’ “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” and CBS’ “Northern Exposure” was honored with the Trustee Award for continued excellence in portraying Native Americans. The awards, sponsored by the group First Americans in the Arts, will be given out Saturday at the Doubletree Inn in Marina Del Rey; Studi will host.

POP/ROCK

‘Dangerous’ Suit: Michael Jackson isn’t expected when a trial begins today in Denver to hear a songwriter’s claim the singer pirated the song “Dangerous.” Jackson’s publicist Lee Solters said Denver was “not on his schedule.” But Jackson’s lawyer will be there, as will Crystal Cartier, who says she wrote her “Dangerous” nine years ago. The U.S. District Court trial will decide Cartier’s copyright infringement claim. Last month, a Los Angeles jury ruled Jackson didn’t steal the songs “Thriller,” “The Girl Is Mine” and “We Are the World.”

QUICK TAKES

“The Vernon Johns Story,” starring James Earl Jones, which was set to air on Jan. 17 and was preempted because of the earthquake, will air tonight at 8 p.m. on KTLA Channel 5. . . . David Letterman will return to the old stomping ground Feb. 28, not Feb. 21 as was previously reported, as a guest on NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien.” . . . Next up at the Westwood Playhouse: “Laughing Matters,” an evening of comedy created by Hal Kanter and also featuring Marty Brill, Hank Garrett, Tim Wilson and Jackie Kahane. It’s slated to open on March 16 and play through April 17.