MORNING REPORT - News from Sept. 15, 2000

TELEVISION

Latin Grammy Ratings: CBS’ inaugural telecast of the Latin Grammy Awards failed to generate much heat ratings-wise, with an estimated 7.5 million people watching the program--less than a third of the nearly 28 million people who watched the regular Grammys in February. However, the awards fared significantly better in certain cities, with the show’s highest ratings in Miami, followed by San Antonio, New York and Los Angeles. The program ran fourth in the 9-10 p.m. hour, when the competition included NBC’s “The West Wing,” which appeared to enjoy a post-Emmy bounce, as the best drama winner attracted more than 12 million viewers, its biggest audience since beginning reruns in May.

They Said They Wanted a Revolution but . . . : The remaining contestants of CBS’ “Big Brother,” who had declared over the weekend that they would walk off the “reality” show during Wednesday’s live broadcast, did not make good on their threat. The failed revolt had been led by George, the oldest contestant, who has been upset about cryptic banners being flown over the contestants’ temporary abode, and other factors, including manipulation by the show’s producers that have changed the rules of the contest. However, Cassandra, one of only two women in the house, was “banished” Wednesday in a call-in poll.

POP/ROCK

Goodbye, Ticket-Holder Road: Elton John no doubt boosted his reputation as a temperamental prima donna Wednesday night when he walked out of a sold-out concert in Portugal, just 30 minutes before the show was supposed to start, organizers said. Concertgoers had paid more than $200 each for their seats at the event, held at the Estoril Casino near Lisbon. Organizers said the singer had appeared worried that the theater was half-empty, and a casino spokesman acknowledged that the 1,200 audience members, including government ministers, were slow moving from a dining room to the theater. “[John] said he was going out to get some air,” the spokesman said. “But then he jumped into his car and went to the airport to catch his private jet. He never said goodbye or anything to anyone.” The casino is considering legal action; John’s London spokesman, meanwhile, said he was unaware of the incident and had no comment Thursday.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

La Jolla Leadership Change: David Finckel and Wu Han, co-artistic directors of SummerFest La Jolla for the last three years, are stepping down, effective immediately, “to pursue other opportunities,” according to La Jolla Chamber Music Society executive director Neale Perl. Perl said that the society already has identified a number of possible candidates to lead the summer chamber music event, which again this year occupied three weeks in August.

ART & DESIGN

Barnes Foundation Broke: Pennsylvania’s Barnes Foundation, home to one of the world’s finest collections of Impressionist and Postimpressionist paintings, has exhausted its $10-million endowment and is seeking emergency relief to stay open, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday. The foundation projects a $500,000 deficit for this year, and says it needs $50 million during the next five years to stay open. The Barnes sent its collection of Renoirs, Cezannes and other masterworks on a controversial world tour in the 1990s, raising $17 million. Those funds are now gone.

Controversial Monument Backed: A staff report released late Wednesday by National Capital Planning Commission chief William R. Lawson recommends building the proposed controversial World War II Memorial on the grounds of Washington’s Lincoln Memorial. Although expected, the recommendation is unusual for dismissing without comment concerns about the scheme that were detailed in a recent highly critical federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation report to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. Babbitt has not yet replied to the criticisms. The Planning Commission’s final vote on the project is scheduled for next Thursday.

QUICK TAKES

First Lady hopeful Tipper Gore, aiming to show her support for struggling farmers, will accompany Willie Nelson on the drums at Farm Aid 2000. Sunday’s concert, taking place near Washington, airs live on cable’s Country Music Television from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Additional scheduled performers include John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Barenaked Ladies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. . . . Tom Wopat, the former “Dukes of Hazzard” star who appeared as Frank Butler in Broadway’s recent “Annie Get Your Gun,” will join previously announced Marilu Henner in the touring version of the Irving Berlin musical at both the Orange County Performing Arts Center (Nov. 21-26) and at Beverly Hills’ Wilshire Theatre (Feb. 27-March 18). . . . ABC will premiere the first of a series of public-service announcements designed to combat youth violence tonight, during the program “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” The spots, featuring network stars and the message “The best time to stop violence is before it starts,” were created in collaboration with the National Campaign Against Youth Violence. . . . “Survivor” castaways Jenna, Gervase, Coleen, Sue and Richard will take turns next week as one-day co-hosts of Regis Philbin’s daily talk show “Live!”