MORNING REPORT - News from Aug. 26, 2000

Rocking the Emmys: Comedian Chris Rock received six Emmy Award nominations for his HB0 special “Chris Rock: Bigger and Badder”--but his was the only show left off the list in ballots sent out to the 120 people eligible to vote in the category of variety, music or comedy special. “I’m not worried. I’m sure the academy will handle it accordingly,” Rock said in a statement. An Emmy spokeswoman said Friday that the error was caught the day after the ballots were mailed, judges were notified of the error, and Rock’s chances at a win will be unaffected. This is not the first glitch in this year’s new at-home voting process: Delays in getting out screening tapes to voters caused the TV academy to push back the deadline for returning Emmy ballots to Aug. 21.

MOVIES

Wayans Wants Out: Damon Wayans’ wife of 16 years, Lisa Wayans, filed for divorce Friday, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has been separated since May 21, according to the petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The couple was married in 1984, nearly two years after the birth of Damon Wayans Jr. They also have a son, Michael, 15, and daughters Cara Mia, 13, and Kyla, 9. Lisa Wayans is asking for joint custody of the children, along with spousal support, attorneys fees and costs. Wayans, 40, made his movie debut in “Beverly Hills Cop” and was part of the 1985-86 season of “Saturday Night Live” before appearing on the sketch comedy show “In Living Color,” created by his brother Keenen Ivory Wayans. He’s also appeared in “Roxanne,” “Mo’ Money,” “Colors” and “Blank Man.”

RADIO

Christian Radio Debut: Contemporary Christian radio station KFSH-FM (95.9) began broadcasting Friday, featuring 24 hours of Christian adult-contemporary pop and rock music. It has a companion Internet site at https://www.TheFish959.com. Acquired by Salem Communications from Clear Channel Communications as part of an eight-station radio purchase, KFSH replaces adult contemporary KXMX-FM. Chuck Tyler, who had been assistant program director at KFI-AM (640), becomes KFSH’s new program director. He’ll also begin hosting the morning drive show beginning Sept. 5 and will be adding additional DJs over the next few months. Camarillo-based Salem now counts seven Christian radio stations among the 72 outlets it owns nationwide.

Switch to Spanish: The switch of KACD/KBCD-FM (103.1) from an adult alternative music format to Spanish-language music, expected for months with the sale of the station, will officially take place Monday at 9 a.m. At the same time, the move of the current format to a full-time Internet presence will take place. With the programming to be found at https://www.worldclassrock.com, the move is believed to be the first of a broadcast station shifting directly to the Internet and will be closely watched by the radio business. Program director and afternoon deejay Nicole Sandler will be on the air to preside over the transition along with morning man Andy Chanley, while the 103.1 frequency will begin simulcasting programming with Riverside’s KSSE-FM (97.5).

DANCE

Replacement Dancers: Atlanta Ballet plans to hire musicians from the Czech Republic to fill in for striking orchestra members. Dance company attorney Jacqueline Kalk says Atlanta Ballet has hired Prague’s Poksound to provide music for the season-opening “Romeo and Juliet” in October and for the annual “Nutcracker” because “we haven’t gotten an agreement and we have performances coming up.” The company says it wants to continue to negotiate with musicians, who went on strike almost a year ago in a dispute over a pension package. A representative of the musician’s union local said the move was “like hiring migrant workers to come in and pick your cotton for a day.”

POP/ROCK

Crossing Over: “Baywatch” star David Hasselhoff will release his first Spanish-language album later this year on Allied Artists Records. Along with his role on “Baywatch”--currently in its 11th year as “Baywatch Hawaii”--Hasselhoff has maintained a longtime singing career in Europe. Hasselhoff will open on Broadway Oct. 31, playing both sides of the split personality in the musical “Jekyll & Hyde.”

QUICK TAKES

Madonna is fighting for the Internet domain name madonna.com. The singer has lodged a complaint with the United Nations, asking its World Intellectual Property Organization to order the hand-over of the site, owned by New Jersey entrepreneur Dan Parisi. . . . Rock the Vote will hold a free event to educate young voters at Universal CityWalk beginning at 5 p.m. today; celebrity guests will include former White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers and the cast of “The West Wing.” . . . Jimmy Page, whose back injury forced the cancellation of his Aug. 15 concert at Irvine’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, is back on his feet. The former Led Zeppelin guitarist will perform with the Black Crowes at the amphitheater Sept. 17. All tickets for the Aug. 15 date will be honored. . . . A larger-than-life statue of Jackie Gleason will be unveiled Monday in front of New York’s Port Authority bus terminal. The 8-foot-high, 1,000-pound sculpture was commissioned by TV Land, the cable channel that airs “The Honeymooners.” . . . “Hollywood Squares” will feature contestants from “Survivor” on a week of shows set to begin airing Sept. 25. “Survivor’s” Richard Hatch, Susan Hawk, Jenna Lewis and Gervase Peterson will appear.