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

ENTERTAINMENT

Merry Casting, George Bailey: Bill Pullman will play George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life--The Radio Play,” a live benefit performance on Dec. 8 at the Pasadena Playhouse. Additional cast members include Sally Field, Nathan Lane, Martin Landau, Hal Holbrook, Charles Durning, Joe Mantegna, Christian Slater and Minnie Driver. KCET-TV Channel 28 will tape the performance, airing it on Christmas night as “Merry Christmas, George Bailey.” Tickets are $150; proceeds go to Pediatric AIDS.

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Metallica Fans Survive: Playing before an estimated outdoor crowd of 30,000, Tuesday’s free Philadelphia concert by best-selling rock band Metallica was dubbed “part burlesque show, part rugby match and hearing-loss loud” by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The paper reported that police pronounced fans “better behaved than a Philadelphia Eagles crowd”--this despite a last-minute court battle over the concert and pre-show fussing from politicians fearing a riot.

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‘Vibe’ Online: The syndicated “Vibe” is scheduled to begin taking its daily tapings to the Internet today, making it the first late-night talk show to do so. The live online broadcasts at https://www.vibetv.com will coincide with the show’s 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tapings.

QUICK TAKES

Barbra Streisand is in discussions about touring Europe and possibly Australia, her spokesman said Wednesday, but he discounted published reports that any U.S. dates--including New York--are being considered. . . . Leyna Nguyen, a weekend anchor at Sacramento’s KCRA-TV, has been named the new weekend anchor at KCAL-TV Channel 9, starting in early December. Nguyen replaces Gay Yee, whose contract is not being renewed. Meanwhile, KCAL will add a second weekday airing of “The Jerry Springer Show” at 9 a.m., starting Monday. It will continue airing at 11 p.m. . . . “Ragtime” and “Show Boat,” with five awards each, were the top winners of the 10th annual NAACP Theatre Awards, presented this week at the Writers Guild Theatre, with “Show Boat” topping “Ragtime” as best large musical. “Having Our Say” and “Up the Mountain” dominated the play categories, winning four awards each. . . . “The Oprah Winfrey Show” will tape three shows from New York next week, starting Wednesday, with an hourlong interview with pop diva Janet Jackson. The talk show last visited the Big Apple in 1989. . . . “3rd Rock From the Sun’s” Kristen Johnston will host tonight’s “Grrl Genius Club” stand-up comedy event at the Improv (8162 Melrose Ave.). Kathy Griffin, Caroline Rhea and Stephanie Miller are also scheduled. Tickets for the 9:15 p.m. performance, which benefits Caring for Babies With AIDS, are $12.