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

MOVIES

‘Dogma’ Fight: The dispute between the powerful Catholic League and Miramax studio heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein over director Kevin Smith’s controversial religious satire, “Dogma,” has heated up. In a letter to the 350,000-member group, lawyers for the Weinsteins said they “intend to hold the League fully accountable for any wrongdoing, injury or damages it causes” as a result of protests against the upcoming movie. The New York-based league has made clear it opposes the film but has not threatened violence. After receiving the letter, the group vowed to press ahead in the protests with “even more vigor than ever before,” noting: “Fascistic attempts to silence us will never win.” The Weinstein brothers in April formed a company separate from the Disney-owned Miramax to acquire the rights to “Dogma,” which stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as two renegade angels who exploit loopholes in Catholic Church laws. The move was intended to separate Disney from the controversial film.

STAGE

Reduced ‘Hughie’ Tickets: The Mark Taper Forum will have a “Pay What You Can” night for Al Pacino’s sold-out run of “Hughie” on June 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale at the theater box office at noon that day, with no lineups allowed prior to 11 a.m. Purchases will be by cash only, with a limit of two tickets per person. In addition, the Taper has expanded its public rush program, with a limited number of $12 “Hughie” tickets available prior to each performance of the play’s June 19-July 25 run, excluding June 27.

TV & RADIO

‘Buffy’ Finale Rescheduled: The WB network will air the season’s final episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which it had pulled from the schedule last month following the Columbine High School shootings, on July 13 at 8 p.m. In a statement Thursday, the WB said it had received “both praise and criticism” for postponing the episode, which features violence occurring at a high school graduation ceremony, adding: “If we erred, it was on the side of caution.”

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Cable Honors: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will give its 1999 Governor’s Awards to MTV and the History Channel during the Aug. 28 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. The awards will honor MTV’s yearlong campaign, “Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence,” and the History Channel’s national “Save Our History” initiative. The TV academy called the two efforts “innovative and positive programs” that “clearly demonstrated what is right with television today.”

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Jackson’s Substitutes: With talk-show host Michael Jackson scheduled to go on vacation for two weeks beginning today, KRLA-AM (1110) is turning primarily to local television for substitute hosts in his 9 a.m.-noon slot. Kelly Lange, former KNBC-TV anchor, will fill in today. Next week’s lineup, all from KTLA-TV, is Sam Rubin on Monday and Friday, Carlos Amezcua on Tuesday, Stephanie Edwards and Gayle Anderson on Wednesday, and Jennifer York on Thursday. The week of June 28 brings Pat Harvey of KCAL-TV on Monday; humorist David Steinberg with guest Robin Williams on Tuesday; and, from KTTV, Dorothy Lucey on Wednesday, Steve Edwards on Thursday and Jillian Barbarie on Friday. Jackson returns July 6.

POP/ROCK

Ricky Martin Tour: Didn’t get enough Ricky Martin at Wango Tango? Good news. The pop singer is kicking off his U.S. tour on Oct. 24 at the Phillip’s Arena in Atlanta, and--after shows in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Las Vegas--will perform Nov. 13 at Los Angeles’ new Staples Center. On Nov. 14, he will play at the San Diego Sports Arena. Then, after a show in Phoenix, he’ll return for a Nov. 20 show at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. The tour ends in San Jose on Nov. 21. Tickets for the L.A. show go on sale July 17.

QUICK TAKES

Former “Melrose Place” star Heather Locklear is joining the cast of ABC’s “Spin City” next season, playing the mayor’s new campaign manager. . . . Cable’s Comedy Central scored its highest-rated series debut in the network’s history with Wednesday night’s premiere of “The Man Show.” It drew an estimated 2.5 million viewers. . . . The July 30 Iron Maiden concert at the Greek Theatre goes on sale Sunday, not Saturday as reported in Thursday’s Pop Date Book.