TELEVISIONIt’s Not Miller Time: Dennis Miller’s...

TELEVISION

It’s Not Miller Time: Dennis Miller’s recent Emmy nomination in the category of outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program has been declared ineligible by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Miller, who was nominated for HBO’s “The Dennis Miller Show,” was deemed ineligible due to a technicality in interpreting the rules, which does not allow a host of a variety or music series to also be entered for individual performance for the same program if his or her name is in the title. Miller’s loss was Rosie O’Donnell’s gain. She moves up to become one of five nominees in the category, based on her “HBO Comedy Hour Rosie O’Donnell.” O’Donnell is eligible because she is the host of a special with her name in the title, not a series. “The Dennis Miller Show” remains nominated for outstanding variety, music or comedy series, and outstanding individual achievement in writing for a variety or music program. Miller, in gracious acceptance of his ousting, said, “Hey, it’s no big deal. These things happen. I’m flattered that they gave me two nominations. Now Barbra Streisand [another nominee] can sleep better.”

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Newt Goes Hollywood: Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is one of a series of prominent political figures who will go “head-to-head” with “Murphy Brown” when he appears in a new on-air promotion spot for the CBS comedy.

POP/ROCK

Jackson Goes HBO: Michael Jackson will continue on the comeback trail with a concert this December that will be shown on HBO. Jackson will perform in New York Dec. 10, and the show will air that day. HBO officials said the concert will be a more intimate experience than his 1992 “Dangerous Tour” concert, televised from Bucharest, Romania, on HBO. “Michael Jackson: The HIStory Concert” will feature surprises created by the singer especially for the show, and include new songs and classics from his current album “HIStory.”

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Blues Travel: The House of Blues is sponsoring its first off-site event, an Aug. 26 festival at the Santa Barbara County Bowl featuring Buddy Guy, Little Feat and others, benefiting the historic bowl’s refurbishment and the House of Blues Foundation. Transportation and accommodations packages will be available.

LEGAL FILE

Denver Defense Tested: John Denver may stand trial on a drunken driving charge after all, and if convicted, he would spend a week in jail. The singer’s blood-alcohol content was measured at .128--above the Colorado legal limit of .10--after he crashed his Porsche into a tree last August. But his lawyer got the charges thrown out in March, arguing that Denver also faced the loss of his driver’s license in a civil hearing, so prosecuting him in criminal court would constitute double jeopardy. The ruling touched off a flurry of copycats but most Colorado judges rejected the “John Denver defense.” A district judge overruled the first judge, and an assistant district attorney in Aspen said he was prepared to prosecute unless Denver appeals. Denver already has one previous drunken driving conviction.

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Victory for Le Bon: The lead singer of British pop group Duran Duran, Simon Le Bon, accepted an apology and substantial damages Monday over an Italian magazine article alleging he had an affair with an Italian woman in Rome. His lawyer told the London High Court that Le Bon and his model wife, Yasmin, were distressed and embarrassed by the allegations in the magazine Novella 2000 in April, 1993. The magazine apologized unreservedly, withdrew the allegations and agreed to pay Le Bon’s legal costs as well as undisclosed damages.

MOVIES

Like Father, Like Son: Father-and-son filmmakers Philip and Peter Kaufman and their San Francisco-based production company, Walrus and Assoc. Ltd., have signed with the William Morris Agency. Philip has written/and or directed such films as “The Right Stuff,” “Henry & June” and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”; Peter produced “Henry & June” and “The Rising Sun.”

PEOPLE WATCH

Pastor Crouch: Grammy-winning gospel singer Andrae Crouch is now taking the stage at Christ Memorial Church as the new pastor. “I love doing this,” Crouch said of his role as spiritual leader at the suburban Pacoima church. He took over as pastor in May following the deaths of his father, Bishop Benjamin Crouch, and his older brother Ben Jr. The eight-time Grammy winner, including this year’s trophy for his pop-contemporary gospel album “Mercy,” said a higher power has pulled him away from his hectic entertainment schedule to shepherd Christ Memorial.

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The Show Goes On: Broadway theatergoers got two Norma Desmonds for the price of one over the weekend. Betty Buckley only sang one act of “Sunset Boulevard” at the Saturday matinee and her understudy, Karen Mason, finished the show. Mason then did the Saturday evening and Sunday matinee performances. “Betty just felt ill,” said John Barlow, a spokesman for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. She replaced Glenn Close on July 4 as the star of the musical based on the classic Billy Wilder film about an aging film star and an unscrupulous screenwriter. Buckley is expected back in the production today.