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

ENTERTAINMENT

More ‘Beauty’ Laurels: Oscar front-runner “American Beauty” led the pack Wednesday in nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. “Beauty” scored 14 nods, followed by “The End of the Affair” with 10 and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” with seven. All three will vie for best picture, along with “The Sixth Sense” and the British hit “East Is East,” which opens here in April. Winners will be announced April 9.

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Puffy Pleads Not Guilty, Again: Sean “Puffy” Combs pleaded not guilty in New York Tuesday to charges he attempted to bribe his driver into taking the rap in an alleged gun possession incident. He called the accusation “outrageous and baseless.” The rap mogul and his bodyguard already had pleaded not guilty to criminal weapons charges after police allegedly found two loaded guns in their car after a December nightclub shooting. The prosecutor alleged that Combs put “relentless” pressure on his driver to say he owned the weapons, offering him $50,000 and attempting to use a diamond ring given to him by girlfriend Jennifer Lopez as collateral for the cash. “I’m innocent,” Combs said after his arraignment. “I did not bribe anyone at any time, anywhere.” Combs’ attorney, meanwhile, called the bribery charge as transparent as Lopez’s much-talked about dress at last week’s Grammys.

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Crash Aftermath: Prosecutors are deciding whether to file felony hit and run charges against actress Halle Berry, who L.A. sheriff’s deputies say left the scene of a late-night car crash last week after running a red light. The other driver suffered a broken wrist and Berry needed 22 stitches for a forehead gash, deputies said. Berry’s spokesman said that Berry would not comment until she sees the police reports, but added: “Halle is taking this situation very seriously. . . . If anyone else was hurt in the accident, she is deeply sorry and hopes they make a speedy and full recovery.”

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Site-ing Dr. Laura: Gay rights groups are stepping up their lobbying efforts against Paramount’s plans to distribute a daily talk show in the fall hosted by Laura Schlessinger, who has made what the groups perceive to be anti-gay comments on her syndicated radio program. On Wednesday, the Web site https://www.stopdrlaura.com was launched, giving out names of top studio executives and urging people to “flood Paramount with calls.”

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Quick Takes: Mark Brandon, an ex-roommate of “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?” groom Rick Rockwell, told Wednesday’s “Inside Edition” that he filed a restraining order against Rockwell in 1983 after Rockwell allegedly threw Brandon against a concrete wall and threatened to “scar [his] face for life.” Rockwell’s response: “This is getting ridiculous. The next thing you know, they’re going to be digging into my grade school record.” . . . Warner Bros. has slated “Pokemon the Movie 2000” for a July 21 release. The sequel will feature six new Pokemon characters. New trading cards are also planned. . . . Married couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw will square off in three categories--best song, album and entertainer of the year--in the annual Academy of Country Music Awards, airing May 3 on CBS. Other entertainer of the year contenders are the Dixie Chicks, Sawyer Brown and Shania Twain. . . . After a disappointing February sweeps, the WB network will shake up its prime-time lineup. Moves planned for early April include shifting “Felicity” to Wednesdays and “Roswell” to Mondays, both at 9 p.m. And “D.C.,” a drama from “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf, premieres April 2, airing Sundays at 8 p.m.