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

ENTERTAINMENT

Just a Yank: British media are lashing out against the casting of American actress Renee Zellweger as an angst-ridden, self-obsessed Londoner in search of Mr. Right. Since landing the role this week as the title character in a big-screen version of Helen Fielding’s “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” Zellweger has been taking hits from Brits who find her too young, too pretty and too American to bring Fielding’s novel to life. “Of all the clunking, Hollywood idiocy,” wrote the Evening Standard’s Zoe Williams. “Casting her as a young and perfect thing is like remaking ‘The Elephant Man’ with [good-looking Oscar nominee] Jude Law.” And the attacks on American film stars haven’t stopped with Zellweger: The Independent’s Kate Watson-Smyth referred to the actress’ romance with Jim Carrey, saying that Zellweger may soon become “what Bridget would call a smug-married.” And the Mail’s Suzanne Moore wrote, “The only good thing, I suppose, is it isn’t Meg Ryan.”

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Parkinson’s Revelation: Singer Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire has disclosed that he has Parkinson’s disease, the same neurological condition battled by Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali. White, 58, said he was diagnosed eight years ago but has just now gotten over being “in denial” about the disease. White’s disclosure comes on the eve of Earth, Wind & Fire’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York on Monday. White--who retired from touring with the band in 1995--plans to attend the ceremonies, which will be telecast on VH1, Wednesday at 9 p.m.

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Intervention Lesson: Tonight’s “Cosby” episode on CBS takes on the issue of drug addiction when the series regulars conduct an intervention for a friend who has been abusing cocaine. Tom Straw, who wrote the 8 p.m. episode, said the program is intended to “give a voice to those people who have to deal with the addicted.” The program--which was set up like a one-act play and taped straight through without any breaks--also openly shows drug paraphernalia and what purports to be cocaine, which the show’s representatives say may be the first time such substances have been shown on a sitcom. “We had to be honest and not so sanitary,” Straw said.

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Oscar Watch: Barbara Walters has lined up Mike Myers, Ricky Martin and expectant parents Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones for her annual Academy Awards-night interview special on ABC. . . . Best picture nominee “American Beauty” on Thursday swept the top five prizes from the London Film Critics, winning awards for best picture, director (Sam Mendes), actor (Kevin Spacey), actress (Annette Bening) and screenplay (Allan Ball). The film also won the best film, director and actor prizes in the Internet-voted Moviefone Moviegoer Awards this week (“Girl Interrupted’s” Angelina Jolie won Moviefone’s best actress honor). . . . Fellow best picture nominee “The Cider House Rules” has won the Maggie Award, an inaugural honor from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America citing “exceptional achievement in coverage of reproductive rights and health care issues.” The award will be given in Washington on March 25, the eve of the Oscars. . . . Eric Roth and Michael Mann, the writers of yet another best picture nominee, “The Insider,” on Sunday pick up the Writers Guild’s annual Paul Selvin Award honoring the script that “best embodies the spirit of the Constitution and civil rights and liberties.” “The Insider,” meanwhile, is due on video and DVD April 11.

THE ARTS

Whole Lotta Tapping Goin’ On: Dancer-choreographer Savion Glover brings his latest creation, “Savion! The Concert” to Beverly Hills’ Wilshire Theatre from March 29 through April 2. Glover--who won a Tony for his Broadway smash, “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk,” but did not appear in that tour’s Southern California stand last May--will be joined by a live band and four generations of tap legends, including Jimmy Slyde and Buster Brown. “Savion! The Concert” is also slated for performances April 21 and 22 at Escondido’s California Center for the Arts.

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First to Blink: The off-Broadway version of “The Wild Party,” one of two New York musicals this season based on the same Jazz Age poem by Joseph Moncure March, will close April 2, squashing speculation that the show had Broadway in its future. The musical, with book, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, received largely mixed to unfavorable notices when it opened Feb. 24 at the nonprofit Manhattan Theater Club. A second “Wild Party” opens April 13 on Broadway. Directed by George C. Wolfe and with a score by Michael John Chiusa, its cast includes Mandy Patinkin, Eartha Kitt and Oscar nominee Toni Collette.

QUICK TAKES

Univision’s Spanish-language station KMEX-TV and English-language PBS outlet KCET-TV have teamed up on a new bilingual Web page designed to provide multicultural coverage of the California elections. “Destino 2000/Decision 2000”--at https://www.kmex.com and https://www.kcet.org--will operate through the Nov. 7 election, posting transcripts of political reports from both stations. . . . Kathie Lee Gifford, who announced her retirement this week from “Live With Regis & Kathie Lee” after recently filling in as a guest host on CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman,” is slated to return to “Late Show” as a guest with Letterman on Monday night’s program. Meanwhile, Janeane Garofalo is set to fill in for Letterman as a host on Tuesday, with Dana Carvey assuming the guest host role on Wednesday. . . . A tearful Fiona Apple cut short a concert in New York on Tuesday night after repeatedly apologizing to the audience for a bad sound system and fumbling her lyrics. Apple reportedly cursed and cried from frustration throughout much of her performance at the Roseland Ballroom before leaving the stage after about 40 minutes. Apple promised from the stage to return for a free show to accommodate disappointed fans.