ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TV & RADIO

No Kidding: Late-night television comedians made President Clinton the punch line of more jokes in 1998 than in any other year of his presidency, according to the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Media and Public Affairs in Washington. Fueled by the ever-expanding sex scandal, the number of jokes more than doubled from the previous year, up 111%. To be exact, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Bill Maher told 1,712 jokes about Clinton and another 749 about others associated with the scandals. Monica Lewinsky was the butt of 332 jokes; Kenneth Starr, 139; Hillary Rodham Clinton, 100; Linda Tripp, 90; and Paula Jones, 88. According to S. Robert Lichter, president of the media center, “late-night comics have profited from the Lewinsky affair, which was revealed early in 1998. This story has unfolded slowly and, with every twist and turn, there has been more fodder for the late-night joke mill.” In 1997, Clinton jokes numbered 810.

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Leno’s Garage: Jay Leno has a new gig. “The Tonight Show” host has been named a contributing editor of Popular Mechanics and will channel his passion for cars and motorcycles into a bimonthly column. “Jay Leno’s Garage” will debut in the March issue, available on newsstands Feb. 9. “Many people know how much I love my automobile and motorcycle collection,” Leno said. “I’m looking forward to sharing my own experiences on the joy of cars, a favorite subject of mine.” Joe Oldham, the magazine’s editor in chief, said Leno’s “zest for cars and motorcycles make him the ideal choice to pen this new column for our magazine. He also has his own unique perspective on current culture in general, and that will be part of his beat for Popular Mechanics.”

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A Witness’ Play: In conjunction with next week’s scheduled closed-door deposition by White House aide Sidney Blumenthal in the Clinton impeachment trial, KCRW-FM (89.9) will air his 95-minute play, “This Town,” Sunday night at 6--for the fourth time. Blumenthal’s 1995 play, which provides an inside look at the Washington press corps and also deals with politics and sex, last aired, though not in full, on Aug. 16, during KCRW’s summer pledge period. That was the day before Clinton’s grand jury testimony. This week’s segment of “Jewish Stories From the Old World to the New” will begin at 7:35 p.m.

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Football Not Futbol: KWKW-AM (1330) will air Radio Caracol’s exclusive Spanish-language coverage of Sunday’s Super Bowl from Miami, beginning with a pregame show at 3 p.m. Jesse Losada, a national sports anchor with the Univision television network, and NFL veteran Raul Alegre, who played on the 1987 Super Bowl-winning New York Giants, will call the action. . . . Meanwhile, just 23 days after the game, PolyGram Video and NFL Films will release “Super Bowl XXXIII,” the official National Football League championship home video. The video will present an insider’s look at either the Denver Broncos or the Atlanta Falcons--whoever wins--on their run from preseason to Super Bowl glory. It will be available Feb. 23 at the suggested retail price of $19.95. Last year’s version sold more than 300,000 copies.

MOVIES

On ‘The Beach’: Environmental activists called Friday for a U.S. investigation of 20th Century Fox, claiming the studio bribed Thai officials for permission to film a Leonardo DiCaprio movie in a national park. About 15 activists marched at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, wearing paper DiCaprio masks embellished with vampire fangs, dripping with blood. “The Beach” has been awash in controversy over the planting of nonnative coconut trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island. Environmentalists fear the changes to the landscape will harm the island’s ecosystem. Jeffrey Godsick, Fox’s senior vice president of publicity and promotions, said the bribery charges are “absolutely not true. The only moneys that we have paid for are location fees and the hiring of local laborers.” As for the environmental issues, Godsick said the production has been approved by Thailand’s forestry department and an independent environmental organization.

QUICK TAKES

Citing “irreconcilable differences,” Heather Mary Previn, fourth wife of composer-conductor Andre Previn, has filed for divorce to end their 17-year marriage. They have a son, Lukas, 15. . . . Bob Navarro, head of KCBS-TV’s community affairs department and host of the weekly program “Bob Navarro’s Journal,” has been let go as part of ongoing cost-cutting by the CBS station. KCBS’ communications director has also been released and more layoffs are expected, according to station sources. . . . Helen Hunt, last year’s best actress Oscar winner, will be a presenter at the 71st annual awards ceremony March 21. . . . The Rolling Stones canceled their Friday night concert in San Jose due to Mick Jagger having the flu, but the band’s handlers say upcoming shows should go on as scheduled. . . . Bob Dylan will be the featured performer at the March 2 opening of the House of Blues club at the new Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas. . . . Tickets go on sale next Saturday for Hole and Marilyn Manson’s March concerts in Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Diego. . . . Hepcat’s “Right on Time” was named the outstanding independent album at BAM magazine’s second annual Southern California Regional Music Awards on Thursday night. In voting by BAM readers, Hepcat also was named outstanding ska artist. Other winners included Possum Dixon as rock-pop artist, Fear Factory as hard rock artist and Pastilla as rock en espan~ol artist. . . . Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”--painted on the wall of a Milan monastery late in the 15th century--will be closed to the public March 1 to May 27 during the last stage of a two-decade restoration. An inauguration ceremony for the restored work is planned for the end of May.