MORNING REPORT - News from Oct. 14, 2000

TELEVISION

“Will” Power: “Will & Grace”--with an assist from an hour of “Friends” leading into it--successfully assumed the key 9 p.m. Thursday anchor position for NBC, easily beating “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” This year’s Emmy winner for best comedy, “Will,” starring Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, drew an estimated 24.3 million viewers--a record high for the series--versus 16.9 million for “Millionaire,” which regularly topped “Frasier” last spring but is looking noticeably weaker this fall. “Friends” averaged 26.7 million viewers from 8 to 9 p.m.--off about 4% from last season’s debut--while “ER” delivered 29.3 million, a 7% drop. That still far exceeded combined viewing of ABC’s “Prime Time” (11.1 million) and “Diagnosis Murder” (7.9 million) in its time slot. CBS’ “City of Angels” was also roughed up at 9 p.m., with just under 8 million viewers.

Fox Still Wants to Marry, Un-Marry: Fox, which suffered a public relations disaster with its “Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?” special, has scheduled an original TV movie, “How to Marry a Billionaire,” for Dec. 20. The romantic comedy--a remake of 20th Century Fox’s classic “How to Marry a Millionaire”--is described by Fox officials as being in the vein of “There’s Something About Mary” and stars Gabrielle Anwar, Rhea Perlman, Dabney Coleman and Katherine Helmond. Meanwhile, Fox has also announced plans for a two-hour special, “I Want a Divorce,” in which six couples will split up their union and their assets on national TV.

Latino Awards: The sixth annual Latin Heat Conference ends tonight with Jeff Valdez, executive producer of Nickelodeon’s “The Brothers Garcia,” and Dennis Leoni, the creator, writer and executive producer of Showtime’s “Resurrection Blvd.,” receiving a Vision Award for their shows. The conference, which began Thursday, includes several panel discussions on industry issues as well as networking opportunities for those interested in breaking into Hollywood. The conference, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, is sponsored by Latin Heat magazine, a monthly publication dedicated to Latino entertainment.

ARCHITECTURE

Piano Designs: Italian architect Renzo Piano won a competition to design a new headquarters building for the New York Times in Manhattan, on Eighth Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets. The 40-story tower, which will be developed in partnership with Forest City Ratner Companies, will replace the Times’ current 87-year-old home on 43rd Street. Piano was selected over three other architectural teams: Britain’s Norman Foster, Cesar Pelli and a partnership between Los Angeles-based Frank O. Gehry and New York-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Gehry and his team dropped out more than a week ago over disagreements relating to project management and design procedures. Piano is best-known for co-designing Paris’ 1970s-era Pompidou Center with Richard Rogers. Other Piano buildings include the Menil Collection museum in Houston, Texas; San Nicola Stadium in Bari, Italy; and the Tjibaou Cultural Center in New Caledonia. He is the 1998 recipient of the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s most coveted award.

PEOPLE

Material Baby: Though he’s still in nappies, Rocco Ritchie, the 3-month-old son of Madonna and British film director Guy Ritchie, ranks 20th on a list of eligible bachelors under age 24 compiled by the British Broadcasting Corp.’s new celebrity magazine, Star. The top spot was awarded to 22-year-old Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Prime Minister Tony Blair’s 16-year-old son, Euan, was fourth on the list, and 18-year-old Prince William, son of Charles and Diana, was sixth.

Swanson Sentenced: Actress Kristy Swanson, the star of the film version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” pleaded no contest Wednesday to misdemeanor drunken driving charges and was ordered to attend 10 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The 30-year-old actress was also fined, put on probation and ordered to perform community service. Swanson did not attend Wednesday’s hearing. She had been stopped Aug. 30 by officers who reported seeing her drive erratically when she pulled away from a traffic stop around 2:45 a.m. Tests showed she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.23%, nearly three times California’s legal limit of 0.08, according to a city attorney spokesperson.

QUICK TAKES

ABC has signed a two-year extension to continue carrying “Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher.” The late-night series, which started on Comedy Central, premiered on ABC in January 1997. Last week the program drew its biggest nightly audience since May, an average 2.9 million viewers. . . . KCET’s newsmagazine “Life & Times Tonight” kicks off a Spanish simulcast Sunday with a special proposition debate broadcast at 6:30 p.m.; the series airs weeknights at 7 and Saturdays at 2 p.m. . . . The Disability Talent Showcase holds its second and final free event Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Santa Monica Main Public Library Auditorium, 1343 6th St. Actor Max Gail hosts the showcase that features 25 performers who have a disability. . . . MGM Television Entertainment has hired 15-year-old Ashley Power and her father, Mark Schilder, to develop teen-oriented TV series. Power and Schilder’s successful teen-oriented Web site, Goosehead.com, caught the attention of MGM’s executives. MGM has already received a script order from Showtime for a series based on the site’s “webisode” called “Whatever,” described as a cross between “American Pie” and “My So-Called Life.”