Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

POP/ROCK

Now, They Know: Glen Ballard, who co-wrote Alanis Morissette’s Grammy-winning song “You Oughta Know,” has finally picked up some home state recognition. After the Feb. 28 Grammys, the Mississippi House passed a resolution praising Ballard’s work, only to rescind it after finding out the song includes a graphic four-letter word for sex. But Thursday the Mississippi Senate passed its own resolution after Sen. Bob Dearing, a Democrat from Ballard’s hometown of Natchez, brought up a commendation lawmakers gave to director Rob Reiner, who is filming a movie in the state on slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Dearing noted that Reiner’s films, including “Misery” and “The American President,” have used the same four-letter word.

Rock Reigns: Rock music, a category including both hard and soft genres, as well as punk and heavy metal, accounted for 33.5% of records sold in 1995, according to figures released Friday by the Recording Industry Assn. of America. Country music was next with 16.7% of the market, followed by urban contemporary (11.3%), pop (10.1%), rap (6.7%) and gospel (3.1%). Overall, Americans spent $12.3 billion for prerecorded music in 1995, the association said, a 2.1% increase over 1994’s $12.1 billion. According to the annual report, which surveyed 3,065 music buyers by phone last year, 15- to 19-year-olds bought 17.1% of the music sold, narrowly edging out those 45 and older (16.9%) for the first time since at least 1991.

COMEDY

Upcoming Events: Richard Jeni, who starred in the UPN series “Platypus Man,” performs at Igby’s Comedy Cabaret in West Los Angeles tonight at 8 p.m. . . . Dennis Miller, host of HBO’s “Dennis Miller Live,” will sign his book, “The Rants,” at West Hollywood’s Book Soup at 7 p.m. on April 16. . . . Bill Maher, host of Comedy Central’s “Politically Incorrect,” headlines Pasadena’s Ice House on April 21. Maher’s show times are 7 and 9 p.m.

TELEVISION

News Notes: Bob Kur joins the weekend editions of “Today” this morning as news anchor, providing live updates from Washington, where he will continue as a national correspondent for NBC News. Meanwhile, Jodi Applegate, who currently hosts a local morning news program in Phoenix, will join the weekend “Today” staff in June, working with Jack Ford as co-anchor. Applegate will also be an anchor for MSNBC, the 24-hour cable news channel being launched by NBC and Microsoft this summer. . . . Mark Lukasiewicz has been named executive producer for programming for ABC News’ 24-hour news channel. Lukasiewicz, currently senior producer for ABC’s “PrimeTime Live,” will be responsible for developing shows for the new network, which is scheduled to launch later this year. . . . Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers, who returns to NBC News next Friday for a “Dateline NBC” commemorating the first anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, will hold a live one-hour Internet chat Thursday at 10 p.m. on Microsoft Network’s NBC SuperNet (go word: NBC) and on the World Wide Web (https://www.nbc.com).

LEGAL FILE

Blues for Pickett: Legendary rhythm and blues singer Wilson Pickett was arrested this week on suspicion of cocaine possession, New Jersey authorities said. Police said they searched Pickett’s Englewood, N.J., house Monday night after being alerted to trouble by a bloody woman who ran screaming from the home. Less than an ounce of cocaine was found in a bedroom night stand, they said. The Record of Hackensack reported Pickett may be also charged under the state’s domestic violence law. He is still under probation for drunk driving in 1993, the same year he was arrested in connection with driving across the mayor’s front lawn.

Tupac Watch: A Los Angeles municipal judge has ordered rapper Tupac Shakur to serve 120 days in jail and pay a $1,000 fine for probation violations. The judge found that Shakur’s arrest and conviction on sexual abuse charges in New York (which he is appealing), and his failure to do court-ordered Caltrans work here, violated his probation on two misdemeanor battery cases. Shakur’s attorneys immediately filed an appeal; the judge said Shakur, who is currently working on the movie “Gridlock,” can remain on bail until the appeal is resolved. Shakur, who criticized city prosecutors for their “zeal to get me in prison,” said after the hearing: “They can put me in jail for 120 years, but I’ll still be richer than all of them.” Shakur, 24, also faces felony charges in Los Angeles Superior Court for alleged illegal possession of a loaded firearm.

QUICK TAKES

Radio station KUSC-FM (91.5) will air a special Easter performance of Handel’s “Messiah” by the Los Angeles Master Chorale Sunday night from 7 to 9. . . . KTLA-TV Channel 5 has added to its broadcast schedule Monday’s Los Angeles Dodgers home opener against the World Series champion Atlanta Braves. The game--with 1995 rookie of the year Hideo Nomo scheduled to pitch--will air live at 1 p.m. . . . O.J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden will stop by the land of the Dancing Itos Monday night when he joins Jay Leno as a guest on NBC’s “Tonight Show.” Meanwhile, Fox News confirmed that it’s been talking to Darden about possibly hosting a show.