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

POP/ROCK

It’s His Take: Though he has no proof, Sean Lennon apparently believes that the U.S. government may have been involved with his father’s shooting death. In an interview with The New Yorker magazine, John Lennon’s 22-year-old son says that anyone who believes convicted killer Mark Chapman was “just some crazy guy who killed my dad for his personal interests is insane, I think, or very naive, or hasn’t thought about it clearly.” Lennon goes on to say of his father: “He was dangerous to the government. If he had said, ‘Bomb the White House tomorrow’ . . . 10,000 people would have done it. These pacifist revolutionaries are historically killed by the government.” A spokesman for Sean Lennon, who like his dad, is a singer, said Tuesday that the quotes were accurate and not taken out of context. However, the spokesman said, Lennon was “speaking from his heart more than from his head” and “regrets having made the statement” since there is “nothing to back it up.” Sean Lennon was 5 when the ex-Beatle was shot in front of his Manhattan home in 1980. “The [New Yorker] statements were born out of great frustration and sadness, since Sean is still trying to come to terms with the tragedy,” the spokesman said.

Boone’s New Gig: Crooner Pat Boone, who angered some of his fans when he put out a heavy-metal album last year, is attempting another musical reincarnation, on an R&B; album pairing him with James Brown, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Sister Sledge and the Temptations. “Who would have thought?” Boone said after a recording session in Georgia this week. “I’m almost the quintessential WASP; Mr. White Bread personified.” The new album, which will feature Boone singing R&B; classics with the songs’ original artists, is expected out this fall.

MOVIES

A Younger Generation’s Choices: “Men in Black,” “Good Will Hunting,” “Face / Off” and “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” will vie with Oscar king “Titanic” for best movie during the 1998 MTV Movie Awards, to be shown on the cable channel June 4 at 9 p.m. “Titanic” star Leonardo DiCaprio, who was left out of the Academy Award nominations, is up for MTV’s best actor award, along with Nicolas Cage and John Travolta (both for “Face / Off”), Samuel L. Jackson (“Jackie Brown”) and the lone nominee to also have garnered an Oscar nod, Matt Damon (“Good Will Hunting”). In the actress category, Oscar winner Helen Hunt (“As Good as It Gets”) and Oscar nominee Kate Winslet (“Titanic”) are joined by Neve Campbell (“Scream 2”), Vivica A. Fox (“Soul Food”) and Julia Roberts (“My Best Friend’s Wedding”). Among other categories, voted upon by MTV viewers, Joey Lauren Adams (“Chasing Amy”), Rupert Everett (“My Best Friend’s Wedding”), Sarah Michelle Gellar (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”), Heather Graham (“Boogie Nights”) and Jennifer Lopez (“Selena”) are up for best breakthrough performance, and the duo of Cage and Travolta (“Face / Off”) will battle with Mike Myers (“Austin Powers”), Gary Oldman (“Air Force One”), Al Pacino (“The Devil’s Advocate”) and Billy Zane (“Titanic”) for best villain. “Jackie Brown” nominee Jackson will be the host for the awards, which will be taped May 30 at the Santa Monica Airport.

TELEVISION

Yada Yada Yada: Cable’s A&E; will premiere “Jerry Seinfeld: Master of His Domain,” an installment of the network’s “Biography” series, on May 11 at 9 p.m. That’s just three days before “Seinfeld’s” season finale. And on May 10, Estelle Harris, who plays Mrs. Costanza (Jason Alexander’s mom) on the famed NBC series, will host a Mother’s Day double-feature--of “Psycho II” and “Psycho IV”--on another cable outlet, the Sci-Fi Channel.

Ship Shape: After all the “Titanic” hoopla, a different ship made some smaller waves Monday, as UPN’s launch of “Love Boat: The Next Wave” increased that network’s audience average in its 8 p.m. time slot by more than 60%. The series revival starring Robert Urich docked with an estimated 6.8 million viewers nationally, beating ABC’s “Push.” The show did even better in some major cities where UPN has stations--winning its time period, for example, in New York. “Love Boat” ranked fourth in Los Angeles (on KCOP-TV Channel 13).

Headed to Disneyland: Olympic silver medalist and world champion figure skater Michelle Kwan has signed an exclusive four-year deal with Walt Disney Network Television to star on various ABC television specials. Four prime-time ice skating specials starring Kwan are planned over the next four years.

QUICK TAKES

Former Clinton advisor Dick Morris has joined cable’s Fox News Channel as a political contributor. He also will contribute to Fox network’s “Fox News Sunday.” . . . Miramax Films has acquired the theatrical distribution rights to poet Maya Angelou’s directorial debut, “Down in the Delta,” a Showtime film starring Alfre Woodard. Although a release date has not been scheduled, the film may hit theaters late this year, with a run on cable’s Showtime to follow. . . . The Museum of Broadcast Communications will honor film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel with “A Salute to Siskel & Ebert: A Critical Revolution on Television,” a tribute being held at the Chicago museum on Thursday. . . . Filming is underway on the latest “Star Trek” movie, which has a working title of “Star Trek IX.” According to the script, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner and other cast members find a fountain of youth and must protect it.