COVER STORY : AT THE CENTER OF THE DOLE FIRESTORM

Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) got plenty of attention when he scolded Hollywood about sex and violence in movies, TV and pop music. But, as The Times reports today (see Page A1), Dole’s comments aren’t changing the face of show business. Yet. The creative and business powerbrokers will tell you they’ve always been thoughful about what they produce. Here, then, are some snapshots of life on the front lines:

MICHAEL STIPE

Rock singer, movie producer

For Michael Stipe--a politically active rocker who has used his stardom to stump for such causes as Greenpeace, AIDS awareness and Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign--deciding on the content of a music or film project is simple.

As a singer, he says, he has one goal: “I just set out to write great songs.”

In his newer capacity as a film executive, with a development and production deal with New Line, it’s not that different when deciding on projects he wants to do:

“I don’t have the time or compunction or energy to spend time working with people I don’t respect or who I don’t think are creative. I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can make a living doing what I love.”

If those two goals are met, he says, content and message take care of themselves.

“We set an example without intending to, really,” says Stipe, 35. “There are just so many stupid paths you could take as a band, and we knew what we didn’t want to go down. That turned into some sort of formula that said to people out there that it’s possible to do what you want without compromise.”

In R.E.M.’s case, the message is usually contained in the big picture, rather than in specific lyrics--which are often unintelligible. Stipe’s legendary mumbling has, in fact, helped the band avoid having “Explicit Lyrics” stickers slapped on its albums.

“We hide the [expletives] pretty well,” he says. “But they’re there. Believe me, the kids know it.”

He cites the song “Star Me Kitten” from the group’s multimillion-selling 1992 album “Automatic for the People.” The word star is merely a substitute for the four-letter word of the lyrics.

While Stipe believes that young people are influenced by media figures, he rejects the notion that music or movies can be blamed for societal ills.

“Take Snoop Dogg,” he says. “I’m not siding with him or his opinions, but to say that he’s inspired a generation willing to shoot people down is ridiculous. The problem is much larger than that. You can’t lay blame on a comic book if your kid’s values are screwed up.”

But he also believes that the conservative outcries are just a passing phase.

“I predict it’s going to hit a high point at which Joe Grabasandwich will say, ‘This is not representative of me and my ideas,’ ” he says. “I fully expect that will happen before the next election.”