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

POP/ROCK

Gingerless Spice: The Spice Girls have been missing a flavor lately. Geri Halliwell, known as Ginger Spice, skipped the band’s performance Thursday in Oslo, Norway, as well as a British TV appearance Wednesday. The band said she stayed away because of a stomach bug. But that didn’t stop the British press from speculating that she has gone AWOL, and a band spokesman said he could not comment on a report in the Sun tabloid that the red-haired singer had walked out after a “blazing row” with band members. “She’s had to take a couple of days off, that’s all I know,” the spokesman said. “Beyond that I’m as in the dark as anyone.” The Spice Girls begin a 40-city U.S. tour next month, including local stops Aug. 15 at the Great Western Forum, Aug. 18 at Irvine Meadows and Aug. 21 at Coors Amphitheatre in San Diego.

*

Whole Lotta Rod: Tickets for Rod Stewart’s Tuesday night concerts at Sunset Boulevard’s Roxy (8:30 p.m.) and Whisky (9:30 p.m.) theaters go on sale Monday at 5 p.m. through Ticketmaster. Stewart will kick off his Sunset Boulevard trek by performing a free show at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Tower Records store; admission is on a first come, first served basis. On Monday, meanwhile, Stewart will guest deejay at 11 a.m. on the KCRW-FM (89.9) radio show “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”

*

Trio of ‘Prince’ Albums: DreamWorks Records will release three albums in conjunction with the coming animated movie, “The Prince of Egypt.” In addition to the musical soundtrack, the company will release two CDs of songs “inspired by” the movie: one featuring country artists including Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Wynonna, Randy Travis and Clint Black, and the other with R&B; and gospel artists including Boyz II Men, Kirk Franklin, Jars of Clay and DC Talk. The albums are scheduled to hit stores in the fall, prior to the film’s Dec. 18 opening.

TELEVISION

New Showtime Series: “Jackie Brown” star Pam Grier is getting her own comedy show, “Linc’s,” on cable’s Showtime. The series, set in a Washington bar and created by Tim Reid (“Frank’s Place”), also features Steven Williams, Georg Stanford Brown and Tisha Campbell. Another upcoming Showtime series is “Rude Awakening,” starring Sherilyn Fenn as a faded movie star with drinking problems. The comedy also stars Jonathan Penner and Rain Pryor, with Richard Lewis in a recurring role. Both series are expected to premiere in early August.

RADIO

Sig Alert: Talk about specialized programming. TV has its weather channel, now radio is getting a traffic channel. Starting Monday, KGXL-AM (1650) will change its name to KKTR and will be all traffic, all the time. “You’ll never be more than 60 seconds away from a traffic update,” says station executive Saul Levine, explaining that the format calls for three minutes of traffic reports, then one minute of commercials. The 10,000-watt KGXL has been simulcasting the music programming on KGIL-AM (1260).

*

Prop. 227 Debate: KCRW-FM (89.9) will broadcast an election-eve examination of Proposition 227--the measure that would ban bilingual education in California schools--on Monday at 12:30 p.m. The 90-minute program will be broadcast live from a KCRW-organized forum at the L.A. Central Library (reservations: [310] 450-5183). Speakers include the proposition’s author, Ron Unz; state Assembly Speaker Antonio Villagairosa, an opponent of the measure; local teachers and students.

*

KFI’s Weekend Shift: “The Tim & Neil Show,” featuring Tim Kelly and Neil Saavedra, now airs Saturdays from 3-6 p.m. and Sundays from 2-6 p.m. on KFI-AM (640). The spots mark the radio hosting debuts of Kelly and Saavedra, who previously held off-air roles at the station. Former Saturday host Maria Sanchez--who is married to KFI weeknight host Phil Hendrie--left KFI to do a weekday morning show for Sacramento’s KSTE-AM, although she will continue to be based in Los Angeles. Former Sunday host Glynnis Walker, meanwhile, has taken a temporary leave of absence from the station for “personal” reasons.

QUICK TAKES

“X-Files” creator Chris Carter and composer Mark Snow will be at the Virgin Megastore on Sunset on Monday at 11 p.m. to sign copies of the new releases “X-Files: The Album” and “X-Files: The Score.” . . . Ohio-based installation and performance artist Ann Hamilton, 42, will represent the United States at the next Venice Biennale, the New York Times reports. The event is slated for 1999, but may be postponed until 2000 to coincide with the millennium and allow more time for fund-raising. . . . David Henry Hwang’s “Golden Child,” a Tony nominee for best play, will close its Broadway run on Sunday after 88 performances. . . . The charitable Michael Bolton Foundation, which has been criticized recently for spending too little of its money on the needy, has announced plans to award $300,000 to Connecticut’s Safe Space of New Haven Inc., a program for teenagers. . . . Teen recording star Usher will guest on CBS’s soap, “The Bold and the Beautiful,” throughout the month of June. . . . Goldie Hawn will receive the first Frank Capra Award from the International Family Film Festival in Albuquerque, N.M., today. The honor, for Hawn’s directorial debut, the TNT film “Hope,” recognizes films that embody “hope, joy, struggle and passion.” . . . Eight CBS-owned stations, including Los Angeles’ KCBS-TV Channel 2, have renewed “Entertainment Tonight” through 2003.